by Madison Rutherford | photography by Angelina Aragon
Nothing says “a little bit country, a little bit rock ’n’ roll” like glowing bar signs and dusty cowboy boots. That’s the vibe at Neon Spur, Mill Avenue’s “cool new Western neighborhood dive bar” where patrons can “drink Rumple Minze and listen to all types of music,” according to general manager David Gonzales.
The concept was co-created by Valley hospitality juggernauts Clive Collective (Cala, Tell Your Friends) and kNOw Name Concepts (Three Beans Café), and modeled after a 1970s basement hangout, complete with mismatched couches and funky wallpaper. “We wanted people to come in and feel like their uncle left, they found his keg, went to the basement and threw a party,” Gonzales says.
The bar’s eclectic design matches its soundtrack – Thursday through Saturday, live DJs mimic a jukebox with playlists that might bounce from neotraditional country to arena rock to EDM in one night. “We wanted to make it a very inviting place… where everyone coming in can be themselves,” Gonzales says.
Post Malone Wallpaper
Custom screen-printed wallpaper featuring musician Post Malone wearing a cowboy hat adds a modern, playful energy to the bar’s vintage vibe.
“Party Animal”
A taxidermy buck – sporting a trucker hat and sunglasses, with disco balls and women’s undergarments dangling from its antlers – keeps watch over the pool table.
Vintage Furniture & Ephemera
Most of Neon Spur’s retro memorabilia, including the plaid and floral-patterned couches and a novelty 1970s cigarette machine, was sourced from Facebook Marketplace.
Floor Tiles
The black-and-white square tiles that cover the bar’s flooring were meticulously placed, one by one. “We had about five to six guys measuring, cutting and laying them down,” Gonzales says.
Wall of Hats
Instead of dollar bills or Christmas lights, the bar counter is lined with a collection of pre-loved ballcaps, encouraging patrons to “leave a hat, take a hat,” Gonzales says. It’s a baseball hat honor system.
Neon Spur
680 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
480-209-1760, neonspurdive.com
