Scottsdale's newest buzz-worthy club has almost nothing in common with the ones people are usually clamoring to get into.

There's no cover, no dress code and no VIP area.

No one tosses around the words “upscale,” “luxe” or “elegant.”

But Friday, Saturday and even Sunday nights, the Lodge, a self-described dive, has been packed wall-to-wall since opening Nov. 26. It's partly because of the concept and partly because of the owners.

Crowds are drawn not because antler chandeliers, a stone fireplace and faux-log beams are that unusual. But because in the middle of the “The West's Most Western Town,” in the Sonoran Desert, it's entertainingly novel.

And while Lodge has all the feel of a snowy, mountaintop ski lodge, the blond, midriff-baring bartenders, fancified comfort food and massive bar remind you that you're still in Scottsdale.

“People coming in here always say, ‘This reminds me of home,'” said owner Quinn Goldsberry, who developed the place with co-owner Jon Wright. “We wanted to cultivate that feeling because Phoenix is a very transient city, with a lot of people coming from other places. It's nice for them to have that sense of home.”

By just hanging out in their own bar, Goldsberry and Wright, both veterans of Scottsdale's nightlife scene, along with other behind-the-scenes friends and partners, have turned the place into the newest destination for scensters and off-duty hospitality workers. Guests can spot off-duty waitresses, managers, promoters, bartenders and restaurant and club owners from across the Valley, catching up like a high-school reunion of impossibly good-looking people.

Only everyone's dressed in jeans. Men are in flannels. Women take the decor as a cue to wear unnecessary fur-trimmed parkas.

The owners worked to set themselves apart from nearby clubs by designing a casual place where bling, bravado and bottle service are out of place.

“It's a better place to hang out and see some friends if you don't feel like yelling at strangers in the dark all night,” said Wright, who sees the bar becoming a destination for starting and ending a night.

Housed in what used to be the First Watch breakfast restaurant, the Lodge's après ski-theme was sparked by the building's original A-frame ceiling.

Now, a huge honey-colored wooden bar with rustic barstools dominates the main room, along with cushy high-back booths. Deer heads look down from the walls. Outside the door, a family of rough-hewn wooden Sasquatches grins at guests as they pass their IDs to doormen.

But beyond the decor, Wright and Goldsberry promise to follow though on the ski theme, offering trips to Arizona Snowbowl north of Flagstaff, providing transportation and a group to hit the slopes with.

To keep up the divey vibe, leather couches, arcade games and dartboards dominate the back room, which Goldsberry refers to as the basement. The room also has several TVs and a pool table, as owners want people to feel like they're hanging out in their buddy's living room. 

The laid-back theme continues with the food, from bratwurst to Philly cheesesteaks, all under $10.

“I'm from the Midwest, and we wanted to get that kind of Midwestern dive-bar feel mixed with the upscale nature of Scottsdale, and I think we really capture that,” Wright said.

By Joe Golfen
azcentral.com
December 18, 2008