Grand Avenue neighbors help define a uniquely Phoenix block
Spend a day, then night, walking through these three doors
(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)
At 1502, 1504 and 1506 Grand Ave., the Bikini Lounge, Grand Avenue Records and Trans Am Café are all right beside each other and help define the Grand Avenue Arts District’s spirit.
(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)
The Trans Am Café offers coffee, homemade sandwiches, smoothies, teas, and local artwork hanging on the walls, much of it available for purchase.
(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)
Grand Avenue Records owner Konstadinos “Cocoe” Tsimahidis first moved to Phoenix in 2012 and originally opened the space as an art gallery before transforming it into a record store a year later using a 20,000-record collection he’d kept in storage in Los Angeles.
(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)
The Bikini Lounge, next door to Grand Avenue Records, has been pouring drinks since 1947.
On one stretch of Grand Avenue, three neighboring storefronts have spent years building something that can’t be replicated by a shopping center or national chain.
At 1502, 1504 and 1506 Grand Ave., the Bikini Lounge, Grand Avenue Records and Trans Am Café each have their own identity. Together, they have become institutions of the Grand Avenue Arts District, connecting old Phoenix with a new generation of artists, musicians and entrepreneurs.
Walk into Trans Am Café and the soundtrack might be Sparklehorse drifting through the speakers while customers sip coffee, tap away on laptops or linger over homemade sandwiches, including a BLT impossible to put down. Local artwork hangs on the walls, much of it available for purchase, reinforcing the neighborhood’s creative spirit.
Owner Gabe Hernandez, who grew up near Historic Downtown Glendale just a few miles down Grand Avenue, opened the café in 2018. Why? That’s a story worth pulling up a stool at the counter.
“All kinds of reasons,” he starts with a smile.
His menu ranges from sandwiches to vegan options, smoothies, teas and house-made drinks in an atmosphere suited for a casual meeting, a first date, or an afternoon of quiet laptop work.
Right next door on the other side of the wall, a fluffy Pomeranian, Dashi, greets visitors before they begin flipping through thousands of vinyl records.
Grand Avenue Records owner Konstadinos “Cocoe” Tsimahidis first moved to Phoenix in 2012 and originally opened the space as an art gallery before transforming it into a record store a year later using a 20,000-record collection he’d kept in storage in Los Angeles.
Today the shop is far more than a place to buy music.
A veteran DJ, producer and designer, Cocoe — as he’s well known — hosts community workshops, beat-making competitions and live music events while mentoring emerging artists.
“I’m connected to everybody,” he said. “It’s more than a record store. I’m an active DJ, and I’m throwing parties every month.”
For him, the neighborhood comes first.
The Trans Am Café offers coffee, homemade sandwiches, smoothies, teas, and local artwork hanging on the walls, much of it available for purchase.
(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)
Grand Avenue Records owner Konstadinos “Cocoe” Tsimahidis first moved to Phoenix in 2012 and originally opened the space as an art gallery before transforming it into a record store a year later using a 20,000-record collection he’d kept in storage in Los Angeles.
(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)
“We’re here for the neighborhood more than anything. It’s not a money grab,” he said. “It’s more of a soulful thing.”
He gestures toward his neighbors.
“Yeah, Gabe’s cool, too, man... Matt owns the bar next door. We’re 100% indie... We’re just mom and pop.”
That bar next door has been pouring drinks since 1947.
Long before Interstate 10 even existed, the Bikini Lounge served travelers making their way into Phoenix along Grand Avenue.
Today, owner Matt Tomb continues preserving one of Arizona’s oldest surviving tiki bars, where bamboo light fixtures, vintage wood paneling, neon beer signs and contemporary tiki artwork blend into a space that is still unmistakably mid-century. The jukebox might jump from The Staple Singers to Leon Bridges, while the bar remains proudly cash-only.
Together, each business represents something increasingly rare: three independently owned neighbors sharing more than a wall; a combination where local businesses can still shape a community.
Steve Stockmar can be reached at sstockmar@iniusa.org. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@inusua.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
The Bikini Lounge, next door to Grand Avenue Records, has been pouring drinks since 1947.
(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)
Steve Stockmar News Editor | Sun Life Magazine & Arts & Entertainment
YourValley.net
Meet Steve Steve Stockmar joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, and has been an Arizona journalist for almost 30 years. He serves as editor of Sun Life Magazine and contributes to West Valley communities where he focuses mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference.
Community: Every season Steve serves as a “buddy” with the Miracle League of Arizona in Scottsdale, has volunteered his time with Family Promise in Glendale, and previously served on the Ghostlight Theatre board in Sun City West.
Education: Graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Journalism major and English minor.
Random Fact: Steve once won a 50-player live Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament.
Hobbies: Anguishing over his beloved Chicago Cubs and Bears; listening to Beatles and Grateful Dead music.
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