With all the independent restaurants, shops, and entertainment downtown Phoenix has to offer, there are always hidden gems — pieces of the city that don't get the recognition or customer base they truly deserve.
One of these emerging hot spots is The Duce, a lounge, restaurant, gym, soda fountain, farmers market and vintage clothing store all packed into one refurbished 14,000-square-foot 1920s brick warehouse.
The Duce was founded by Steve and Andi Rosenstein three years ago and opened last May. The name originally came from "the deuce," or the area from Second Avenue to Second Street, where the small shops of the '20s would transform into gambling paradises when night set in.
"I wanted to reminisce as if it is the past," Steve says. "Bring back the neighborhood vibe where the 1920s Prohibition met modern-day city life in Phoenix."
As you step into the modern, rustic-inspired establishment, there is a welcoming warm and cozy ambiance, a hint of sweet nostalgia and, if you're lucky, a dainty old lady to greet you. There are racks of vintage clothes to the right, quaint homey items to the left and a big boxing ring in the center of warehouse.
For all the boxing enthusiasts and fitness fanatics, The Duce has its own special gym. Every Wednesday at 6 p.m., you can engage in an intense conditioning workout with Rico Hoye, a professional championship-winning boxer. On Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 p.m. to midnight, folks who secretly sing in the shower can showcase their talent here during the themed karaoke nights.
Further into the warehouse, a dining area is filled with tables made of old racks and school benches to lounge on. Nearby, you can sip freshly squeezed drinks out of mason jars and rub elbows at the original bar from Chicago's Black Orchid Club, an old haunt of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. Across the way, there's a beautiful open patio accentuating a 1965 streamline trailer converted into a kitchen, which dishes up homemade organic plates, from sliders to old-style desserts.
"Many of the selections on the menu come from family recipes," Steve says. "We try to keep it as homey as possible. We call it ‘trailer-made’ instead of ‘tailor-made.’"
The hustle and bustle of downtown Phoenix can be tiring at times, but The Duce provides the perfect getaway with its classic, fun atmosphere. Look forward to the shop's upcoming plans for spring — a pie hole and cereal bar.
If you go:
The Duce 525 S. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-866-3823, theducephx.com Open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Reach the reporter at thuyan.bui@asu.edu
