Old Town's Construction Boom

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.

I’m using this to highlight fun IG posts we put together. If you’re a donut lover check out our post on Chin Up Donuts here.

In today’s Scottsdale Scoop:

• Old Town apartment buildings on the way

• Charity poker tournament

• The best weekend events you’ll actually want to go to

— John Apolinar

SCOTTSDALE SNAPSHOT

Old Town’s Construction Boom

Old Town is about to look very different with several massive projects in the works. The biggest is 5th and Goldwater, where developer David Megdal paid $36 million for 5 acres and wants to build 232 apartments in a five-story complex that'll stretch from Indian School to 5th Ave. The smaller Magnolia Waterside project with 54 units is already under construction and moving forward.

There are also two new hotels finishing up (AC Hotel and Remi Hotel) plus a few other developments in various stages of approval. We’ll get more dining, shopping, and housing options are coming, along with plenty of construction noise in the short term.

Poker Tournament for Local Non-profit

Mark your calendar for Saturday, June 21st because The C.A.R.E. Organization is hosting their first-ever Summer Solstice Poker Tournament, and it's for a breat cause - raising funds for children who've experienced trafficking, abuse, and neglect.

This is the kind of community event worth showing up for. They’ll also have food, drinks, and prizes all night long.

Scottsdale Scoop Event?

I put some feelers out last week on in-person events and got a ton of positive responses. Thank you for everyone that voted on the poll! There’s another poll this week at the bottom of this newsletter asking what type of events you’d all be interested in. If you have a minute please feel free to vote!

Also, I’ll be brining in sponsors for events. I know there’s a lot of business owners that read this so if you want to sponsor the event and get foot traffic + amplification in the newsletter and on IG please feel free to reach out. Already have several interested and likely won’t take on more than 2 for the first event.

SPONSORED BY MOPSTAR CLEANERS

The Cleaning Company That Actually Shows Up

I’ve hired more cleaning services in the Valley than I can count—most were unreliable, rushed, or charged upfront before before they even touched a dust bunny. Then I found Mopstar Cleaners.

Not only do they wait to charge you until after you’ve personally approved the work, they also do a full walkthrough with you after cleaning to make sure everything meets your expectations.

They’re insured, background-checked, and their attention to detail is unmatched. I had them do a deep clean before some friends visited and I didn’t even ask them to clean inside my microwave or behind the toilets or under my beds—but they did.

You can book online, reschedule easily, and even request add-ons like laundry or dishes. My place felt brand new and getting my weekend back without having to stress about cleaning is priceless.

PS - New customers get $30 off by using code SSCOOP at checkout

DATE SPOT OF THE WEEK

Francine

Switching it up from last week’s free date spot, to something more upscale. If you're looking to seriously impress someone special, Francine, inside of Fashion Square might just be move. This elegant French restaurant brings that south-of-France charm to Scottsdale with dishes like steak frites, bouillabaisse, and grilled branzino. The Chef Laurent Halasz, grew up in France and created the menu as a love letter to his mother (aww), and the French-born Executive Chef Remy Lefebvre brings legit Michelin-star experience to every plate.

The restaurant has been racking up awards – Phoenix New Times named it Best Phoenix Restaurant and Modern Luxury called it the best fine dining in Scottsdale, so you know it's not just pretty Instagram photos. It’s airy, it’s elegant and gives you that romantic European vibe without having to book a flight to Nice. Plus, being at Fashion Square means you can easily grab dessert at a nearby spot or do some browsing together after dinner if the night's going well.

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

Fourtillfour Cafe

I’ll admit, I’m not the most knowledgeable coffee expert but Fourtillfour’s theme around cars and community is so unique and cool! They organize events that celebrate both passions, so you can admire some incredible rides while sipping on quality coffee. Their next event is June 21st!

Also huge shout out for how they use their space to the fullest. The decorations like oil filters and a tool box add a nice touch!

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

Wednesday, June 18

🍸 A Client Celebration Underground | Tell Your Friends Speakeasy | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

🧘 Lunar Lotus Wellness Event | Alchemy | 6PM

Thursday, June 19

🍵 Tea Bar Happy Hour | Tea Bar | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

🍷 Local Winemaker Dindin! | FnB | 6:30PM

🧠 Trivia Night | Blue Agave Mexican Cantina | 9PM

Friday, June 20

🍷 Gourmet Class – Northern Mexico | Classic Cooking Academy | 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

🍽️ Celebrity Chef Dinner | Hotel Valley Ho | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

🐶 Paws & Poses | Alchemy | 4:00 PM & 5:30 PM

🔨 Keychain Metal Stamping Workshop | The Merchantile Market | 5PM

🍷 Blind Wine Tasting | Western Spirit Museum | 5:30PM

Saturday, June 21

🥂 Toast the Solstice | Los Milics | 12PM

💍 Permanent Jewelry | The Merchantile Market | 10:30AM

Sunday, June 22

🤠 The Mercenary | Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West | 2:00 PM

🎭 Life of Pi | ASU Gammage | 7:30PM (multiple days)

🎸 Strange Days - Tribute to the Doors | Casino Arizona | 3PM

🎵 Spotlight on Zydeco | Musical Instrument Museum | 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM

THE GOOD LIFE

Featuring last weeks most expensive home sold at $4.8M. Looks like it was purchased previously in Jan of 2024 for $1.16M 🤯

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

GET INVOLVED

If you feel like supporting Scottsdale Scoop here’s a section with helpful links and feedback polls!

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Let’s get you featured: email me at [email protected]

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