Chart House Says Goodbye and Fun Weekend Events

Good morning, Scottsdale. You’re reading Scottsdale Scoop, your insider pass to what’s fun, fresh, and worth checking out around town. Every issue features hand-picked events, local business spotlights, and hidden gems that make our city great.

We highlighted Scottsdale’s first Blue-Zone-approved grocery store on IG last week and the post blew up!

In today’s Scottsdale Scoop:

• Mastro Brother’s new concept

• June Days is almost over

• Underrated date spot

— John Apolinar

SCOTTSDALE SNAPSHOT

Chart House Says Goodbye After 41 Years, Mastro Brothers New Concept

After four decades Chart House has served its last Hot Chocolate Lava Cake. Definitely sad news but what's coming next has me pretty excited.

The Mastro brothers (Jeff and Mike) who built the empire behind Steak 44, Ocean 44, and Durant's just bought the place and are planning to tear it down and build a massive 12,000-14,000 square foot steakhouse in its place.

These guys are local and actually grew up just a few blocks away in McCormick Ranch which adds a nice hometown touch. They're keeping the concept name under wraps for now, but with those mountain views plus the successful brand, this could be something really cool. We'll have to wait until June 2027 to see what they've got planned, but if their track record is any indication it's going to be worth the wait.

Work & Stay Combines Childcare with Co-Working Space

Local mom and entrepreneur Danielle Huppler just solved one of parenting's biggest challenges with Work & Stay, launching August 1st at Talking Stick. It’s a co-working space attached to professional childcare for kids 18 months to 5 years.

The genius part is you get livestream video access to watch your little ones while you're working in soundproof meeting pods or private cubicles just steps away.

Membership starts at $350/month and includes up to 40 hours of childcare, which beats most traditional daycare costs while giving you an actual workspace. The curriculum-based childcare is run by experienced educators, so your kids are learning and playing while you're getting stuff done. Pretty cool concept IMO!

June Days is Almost Over

I wrote about June Days in Old Town having over 100 events this month. It’s almost over as we look towards the end of June but there’s still a TON of fun events left. Here’s the calendar if you want to check them out.

Also wanted to give a shout out to the team that put this all together for Scottsdale. There are so many small businesses getting involved with the community and it’s great to see.

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DATE SPOT OF THE WEEK

Vic & Ola’s

Looking for a cute, lesser know date spot? I got you! Vic & Ola's has a sweet backstory - it's named after Chef Sheila's grandparents who fell in love and married in 1931, bringing together the flavors of Sicily and Calabria.

The menu is filled with Southern Italian dishes made from Nonna's actual recipes, featuring homemade pastas, fresh seafood, and those bold Mediterranean flavors.

Their exclusively Italian wine collection is organized by region, so you and your date can take a little trip through Italy without leaving Scottsdale.

Whether it's a first date or your anniversary, you’ll have a great experience sharing authentic Italian food in a place built on a genuine love story. Plus, their 4-course lunch special for $39 (they call it the Italian Summer Lunch) means you can save money for that second bottle of wine!

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just local businesses I wanted to highlight. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

LOCAL BUSINESS OF THE WEEK

Zen Vitality

I had the chance to check out Zen Vitality's ribbon cutting a few weeks ago and I'm still thinking about it. This new wellness sanctuary near Scottsdale and Shea has so much thought put into it.

They've got everything from PEMF therapy and compression therapy to cold plunge pools and full-spectrum red light therapy all under one roof. The space feels more like a modern meditation retreat than your typical wellness center. I also loved the calming scent they had right when I walked in the door.

What really impressed me is how they've managed to make all these high-tech wellness treatments feel approachable rather than intimidating - like they actually want you to understand what's happening to your body instead of just throwing buzzwords at you. Stoked they opened so we can all add a little bit of wellness into our lives.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just local businesses I wanted to highlight. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

WEEKLY EVENTS LIST

Thursday, June 26

🍷 Local Winemaker DinDin | FnB Restaurant | Every Thursday (Through June 26)

🫖 Tea Bar Happy Hour | The Spice & Tea Exchange | 3PM

🎤 Standup Comedy Joe Avery | Desert Ridge Improv | 7:30PM (multiple days)

🖌️A Monument to Madness Art Exhibit | Bella Fine Art | 7:30PM

Friday, June 27

🎸 Strange Days - Tribute to the Doors | Casino Arizona | 7:30PM (multiple days)

🎸 Tesla Concert | Talking Stick Resort | 8:00 PM

🎨 Squidsoup Summer Celebration | Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

🧘 Sunset Yoga on the Lawn | Mountain Shadows Resort | 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

🏊 Scoop & Splash at Goldfish North Scottsdale | Goldfish Swim School | 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

🤘 Motley 2 - Tribute to Motley Crue | Casino Arizona | 7:30PM (multiple days)

Saturday, June 28

🛻 Vintage Offroad Car Meetup | Fourtillfour Cafe | 7AM

🧘 Stretch & Swim Yoga | The Scottsdale Resort & Spa | 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

🏰 Come Meet Belle & Aurora | Dave & Buster's Desert Ridge | 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

🌟 Flashlight Nights | Desert Botanical Garden | 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM

Sunday, June 29

🎤 Aaron Lewis | Talking Stick Resort | 8:00 PM

THE GOOD LIFE

Featuring last weeks most expensive home sold at $6.57M. 5 bed, 5 bath and beautiful Spanish influence.

Here’s the Realtor.com link if you want to check it out!

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