The Trunk Space Blog

Let’s face it—the commercial landscape of Phoenix tends to be a little generic. Ubiquitous strip malls and national chains dominate the roadsides. If it weren’t for the palm trees and the summer mercury peaking at 115 degrees, we might be confused at times just where we are.

The flip side is that despite numerous “redevelopment” efforts, there are still a slew of cool vintage signs and businesses to spice up our commutes with some even offering nourishment to tingle our palates and souls. Here are my “Five Favs” of vintage Phoenix (actually I cheated and selected six); what are yours?

Six Favs – Phoenix, Arizona
Douglas Towne

Phoenix is a city founded in a shroud of mystery—
just what happened to that advanced Hohokam civilization
that mysteriously disappeared from here around 1450 AD?
Named after the mythical Phoenix bird that sprang forth from
its own pyre ashes, the city excels at impermanence, reconstructing
itself—unfortunately—along ever more banal architectural
styles. In examining these different phases, it’s easier
to tour prehistoric Hohokam ruins than to locate noteworthy
remnants of the city’s 20th century commercial landscape.
Ancient is cool, valued and—most importantly—marketable;
simply being old is reason enough to call in the bulldozers.
Fortunately, a few beacons of individuality continue to buck
the increasingly long survival odds:

Best Place to Receive a Western UnionTelegram:                                

New Windsor Hotel, 546 West Adams Street

This hotel is the ultimate conundrum. I call for reservations
and the lady at the front desk hangs up. I appear in person
and she ignores my requests for overnight accommodations.
Yet strangely, I’m not offended—in her brusque way I suspect
she’s doing me a favor. The New Windsor Hotel caters to the
homeless and she probably doesn’t want the hassle of renting
rooms to wanna-be hipsters who would only demand refunds
once they saw the room’s condition.

Now comes the odd part—despite its targeted clientele, those
down on their luck can hold their heads high. Their temporary
home has the most evocative neon sign in town, which
the owners spare no expense in maintaining. Approaching the
hotel’s façade at dusk, you can’t help but be whisked back to
the 1930s—imagine yourself clutching a valise containing all
your worldly possessions, having just debarked from a steampowered,
streamlined Southern Pacific train for a new life in
Phoenix.

The Best Place to Fill Your Tank:

The Old Station Sub Shop, 1301 West Jefferson Street

Ecological principles that govern nature also have their application
in the business world. In a restaurant industry dominated
by generalists (i.e. Subway), the Old Station Sub Shop
is a specialist, cleverly locating its niche in a former Mobil gas
station built in 1926 that is sandwiched between Phoenix’s
Pioneer Cemetery and the Arizona State Government complex.
During the day, its bays are filled with daring bureaucrats
adventuring beyond the comfort of institutional cafeterias.
When the offices lock their doors, activity ceases in the
neighborhood, creating a habitat that dissuades any sandwich
conglomerate from infringing on the Old Station’s turf. Long
may they slather on the mustard!

Best Place to Celebrate V-J Day:

Bikini Lounge, 1502 NW Grand Avenue

Looking to wedge into a spot at a bar, say, between a filmmaker
who has just released the hobo art documentary, Who Is Bozo
Texino? (great flick for train buffs!) and a slightly eccentric—
change that to crazy—lady missing the majority of her teeth?
This Tiki palace, opened in 1947 by a serviceman returning
from the South Pacific, is a good bet—at least it worked for
me. A dive bar, the Bikini has newfound popularity, as many
of the nearby empty storefronts have been transformed into
art spaces. This is the best, and perhaps only acceptable form
of urban renewal: lots of energetic individuals with passionate
dreams readapting historic structures to create a synergistic
experience that is more than the sum of its parts…something
no planned development has equaled.

Best Place to Pretend Your Car Has Tail Fins
Courtesy Chevrolet, 1233 East Camelback Road

This animated, set-on-end, boomerang-on-steroids sign looks
as good as the day it rolled out of the factory back in 1957.
Driving by this advertisement in the right frame of mind, your
compact, fuel-efficient vehicle—however briefly—morphs
into a vintage, high-powered machine able to take anything
on the strip. Enjoy the ride!

Best Place to Dream in Technicolor                                                       Two Palms Motel, 6924 West Grand Avenue

Used to be you couldn’t swing a dead cat in Phoenix without
hitting a vintage neon beacon garishly announcing the presence
of a roadside motel. Nowadays, the modest advertisement
at the Two Palms Motel is the best Phoenix can offer—even
though it’s located just beyond the city limits, in Glendale. I
pass the sign like clockwork around midnight every Tuesday
night, convinced the sight of its neon glow adds luster to my
unconscious palette.

Best Place to Channel the Rat Pack                                                       Durant’s, 2611 North Central Avenue

If you’re looking for the spirits of Frank, Dean, Sammy and the
rest of the gang—or simply good spirits—visiting this 1950sera
establishment with its dimly-lit, red velvet-paneled décor is
a must. Decorum requires that you bypass the front door and
suavely enter through the kitchen, situate yourself at the bar and
start your séance with the assistance of some almost forgotten
classic concoction, such as a Dubonnet Cocktail. Cheers!