Downtown Phoenix felt like a dusty hairdryer early Tuesday afternoon as a few people dotted sidewalks with purple and orange as residents prepared for the second game of the Phoenix Suns first-round …
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Downtown Phoenix felt like a dusty hairdryer early Tuesday afternoon as a few people dotted sidewalks with purple and orange as residents prepared for the second game of the Phoenix Suns first-round playoff matchup.
But indoors, some restaurant staff are bracing for large crowds before and directly after the Suns where scheduled to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.
Restaurants have been deprived of foot traffic from Suns playoff games during the past decade with the exception of last year when the team played four playoff rounds that included the NBA Finals last season.
At Majerle’s Sports Grill, restaurant staff has been hosting Suns fans since the early 1990s when downtown Phoenix resembled a ghost town immediately after Suns games.
About 2:15 p.m., Coleman Flanigan and his best friend, Kevin Kilker of Cave Creek, sat at the bar and enjoyed a few beers before the 7 p.m. tip-off.
The men, both 35, said they are die-hard Suns fans and came to Majerle’s for the nostalgia of coming to the eatery — owned by former Suns player Dan Majerle — in the past on game days.
Flanigan said he used to go to games as a kid after his mother would get tickets from her boss during the 1992-93 season. That year, Charles Barkley helped lead the Suns to the NBA Finals versus Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. The Suns ultimately fell in that series, which was the last time prior to last year the team had nearly reached the pinnacle of its sport.
Good memories are among the reasons why the men picked the downtown restaurant to drink a few beers several hours before the game. Majerle’s, 24 N. Second St., sits just north of Washington on Second Street. The eatery is just a few blocks from the Footprint Center.
“I mean, a Suns player (owns the restaurant) — you know close to the arena, great wings,” Flanigan said.
During last year’s NBA Finals games, both dining areas at Majerle’s were full for the entirety of each game, said
MaKenna Brumbaugh, manager at Majerle’s.
The staff at the downtown restaurant is used to high-volume crowds. Some fans eat before they head to the games, Brumbaugh said.
“There’s not a wait list,” she said. “We try and get everyone seated as fast as we can and get them out the door. When the Suns are playing, we are busy.”
Suns fans usually trickle over to Phoenix Bourbon Room about two-and-a-half hours before each Suns game, said Fabian Avenaut, general manager at the restaurant at 2 E. Jefferson St.
The restaurant opened in June during last year’s playoff run, Avenaut said.
“The arena is a major draw,” he said. “It’s awesome for us — great crowd, great energy.”
On game days, Avenaut said he keeps the kitchen open later. The restaurant seats about 170.
“People come in and drink and celebrate,” Avenaut said. “We keep the (restaurant) open until everyone leaves.”
Ingo’s Tasty Food, 101 E. Washington St., has seen surges in its business any time there are events at Footprint Center, said Doug Motz, general manager. The crispy chicken sammy — with chicken breast, dill pickle, spicy aioli and apples is a favorite, Motz said.
He said business is “phenomenal” on days when the Suns play.
“Anything that happens at the Footprint Center, we are packed,” he said
Brent Ruffner Lead News Reporter | Daily Independent @AzNewsmedia
Journalism has fascinated Brent Ruffner since junior high school.
Since 2001, his stories have been published in newspapers from the Albuquerque to the Arizona and he has always had a knack for making sure his facts are right and his words are to the point.
Growing up, Brent watched as sports reporters covered his beloved Phoenix Suns, a team he followed since Charles Barkley first arrived in Phoenix via trade in 1992. Sports reporting was a dream back then.
But after gaining some writing experience, Brent found a love for news instead of covering different types of sports. In 2008, he moved to New Mexico and covered crime, schools and city beats all while holding elected officials accountable.
He covered stories that ranged from a DEA drug bust gone bad to an award-winning story on school lunches.
In Arizona, Brent was a freelance writer who covered everything from the importance of citrus in the state to Esteban owning a store in downtown Prescott.
Brent is a 2007 graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
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