Buckeye is getting something out of this world when EMERSA opens at Verrado Marketplace, at Interstate 10 and Verrado Way. The multi-use center is still under construction, with tenants starting to open their establishments late spring 2026.
Josh and Chiara Katz, along with partners Randy and April Simmers are behind the astronomy-themed project. Josh and Chiara Katz are the husband-and-wife team behind Tru Color Concepts, and the owners of 36 Below and Sip Coffee & Beer.
The bar is designed to take guests on a journey through space, “inspired by the wonder of observatories and the power of immersive technology,” according to its website, adding, “EMERSA blends 4K VR displays, projection mapping, light, sound, and atmosphere to transport guests into ever-shifting worlds — from celestial skies to deep oceans to imagined realms beyond this planet.”
The name, EMERSA, was chosen from the word, emerge, with the website explaining further: “to rise, to awaken, to transform. And that’s exactly what happens here. The room evolves. The energy shifts. The experience never repeats. EMERSA isn’t just a bar you visit. It’s a place you travel to. And once inside, you become part of the story.”
The bar menu sounds equally out of this world and includes celestial-inspired cocktails such as the Orion’s Orchard, made with small-batch American whiskey, applewood smoked maple syrup, clarified lemon juice, toasted spice tincture, and champagne mineral water; and the Energy Cell with distilled botanical gin, green apple cordial, match-verjus blend, aloe liqueur, and a citrus acid solution.
If you’re intrigued, EMERSA invites you to sign up for updates on its site — which also gets you a free drink when the bar officially takes off for its maiden voyage.
