Gilbert community learns more about proposed Bottled Blonde location in downtown

GILBERT, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - A meeting was held Tuesday for the developers of a downtown Gilbert space to interact with locals about a new proposed Bottled Blonde location. The original one is in the Old Town Scottsdale neighborhood.

Some in Gilbert have concerns about this bar/restaurant, which turns into more of a nightclub where servers wear revealing outfits on Friday and Saturday nights, and its potential impact on the overall Gilbert nightlife scene.

It’s important to note that the developers, Wags Capital, have not submitted an application yet to begin building on the space where Bergie’s Coffee Roast House used to be. Wags Capital CEO Aaron Wagner hopes the new Bottled Blonde will be up and running in 2025. The renderings at Tuesday’s meeting show this is clearly going to be a much taller building than Bergie’s was. It’ll be two stories but 42 feet high, with 16-foot-high ceilings.

Some, like Wagner, think it’ll bring a big-time boost to the Gilbert nightlife scene. But others, like Brad Smith, who owns the building next door, which includes a coworking space just for women, wonders if a nightclub with servers wearing revealing outfits is what’s best for Gilbert’s downtown. “That style of restaurant like Bottled Blonde creates an atmosphere where women are objectified,” Smith said. “Are they objectifying them? No. But you’re creating that atmosphere where women are being objectified.”

“I don’t know anyone who operates their coworking space or offices past 10 p.m.,” Wagner responded. “I just don’t think it’s going to be a real concern. People like to bring that stuff up because people like to be in opposition, right?” The plan is for the Bottled Blonde to transition from a sports bar atmosphere to a nightclub atmosphere on Fridays and Saturdays only, starting at 10 p.m.

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