Longtime club and restaurant operators Justin Massey and Ben Foreman explored Scottsdale and found it needed a place for adults to go and play.
They recently opened Old Town’s effervescent 50 Shades of Rosé and, coming soon, the adjacent dance club, Almost Famous.
“This used to be a town where you had all these bars everywhere,” Foreman says.
“After a nice dinner, you had a choice of going to places and now you have to go all the way to Arcadia or Downtown Phoenix. There isn’t a place for adults to go to because all these bars have become predominantly much younger. Some people don’t feel as comfortable going to those.”
If dancing is for Almost Famous, then 50 Shades of Rosé is the perfect spot for chatting.
“People can have conversations here,” Foreman says.
“It’s not like we’re blaring them out of the room. You can drink a cocktail, a glass of wine or a bottle of wine. You want to be able to share those moments and memories. That’s what we’re trying to achieve.”
The cozy room is an experiential establishment where customers can immerse themselves in original art installations that bring the building to life, a beautiful blush bar with creative combinations of colors, textiles and fabrics that transform the space, a curated bar and a scratch kitchen with seasonal menu.
“We spared no expense when it comes to details including tens of thousands of flowers that cover the walls, a unique piano that serves as a focal point, as well as an incredibly gorgeous bar that gives off Garden of Eden vibes,” Foreman says.
The visual elements and crafty cocktails served at 50 Shades of Rosé makes the space one of Scottsdale’s most Instagrammable locations. The full bar features a beer and wine list, creative spins on rosé beverages, as well as fun cocktails conjured up by mixologists.
Signature favorites include Sangin’ in the Rain (rose, blueberry tea, peach brandy, strawberry), Glucose Guardian (old grand dad, Scotch syrup, angostura bitters, maple syrup), Tijuana Mama (maestro dobel, ghost tequila, watermelon, lime) and Southside (awayuki strawberry gin, giffard, lime).
There’s a secret menu as well, with a fun cotton candy cocktail.
“Our original drinks are whimsical and fit the décor while our brunch menu is sure to impress,” Massey says. “Let’s just say we did everything in our power to make sure this place is always buzzing.”
Designer Sydney Crimmins of Garden Party Girls LLC attached each of the 10,000 flowers on the walls at 50 Shades of Rosé. It took her four weeks.
“With any job, I ask my clients first and foremost how feel when they walk in the space, what they want the experience to be,” she says. “Ben said he wanted really girls, whimsical and comfortable, but a little more casual.
“That’s the direction I was headed. I really wanted to incorporate very simple white flowers with a lot of greenery and a little pink, so it wasn’t so girly. Men feel comfortable, too.”
Crimmins came up with the brightly colored piano as a conversation piece and a place for guests to sit. Her design and the drinks are so pleasing that Massey and Foreman enjoy hanging out there.
“Here, you just want to chill,” Foreman says. “You want to talk and, even if there’s loud music, you can still at least chill.
“We want to be here all the time. It’s mostly because it’s our bar, but we enjoy this. We’ve been operators for a long time. There’s no other place we want to be.”
50 Shades of Rosé
7914 E. Indian Plaza
@50shadesofroseaz
Open Thursday to Sunday
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