Less than a year after opening, Teddy’s Preserve, located at 1001 N Central Avenue in Roosevelt Row, has closed its doors to make way for a new concept.
The indoor-outdoor lounge inspired by America’s National Park closed its doors in mid-December, making way for a yet-to-be-named bar, according to Phoenix New Times. Matt Fulton will take on the new concept with Kyla Hein as a drink program consultant, expected to open in mid-February or March. The bar will be more casual than Teddy’s Preserve, featuring several TVs for sports watching and bar-type foods, such as pizzas and wings.
“It wasn’t for lack of effort,” Hein, who helped open Teddy’s Preserve last February, tells PNT. “We loved the space and our staff and everything we did there. Overall, it wasn’t something sustainable for us or our team. [The new bar] will have great food, great drinks, it just will be super casual.”
While Teddy’s Preserve only lasted ten months, it provided the area with a comfortable space that paid homage to the great outdoors. The cocktail bar gained some local buzz while operating and was eventually awarded the Phoenix New Times’ 2023 Best Cocktails in a Courtyard. The new bar concept hopes to bring new life to the ground floor of the Ten-O-One building, above its sibling concept Rough Rider, with a casual and quirky environment. Fulton and Hein will use their experience with Whining Pig Enterprises to bring new life to the building. Hein tells What Now Phoenix that while Fulton owns the concept, it will not be under the Whining Pig umbrella.
“This weekend marks the start of a new chapter in this space; Teddy’s Preserve will be closing as of today to make way for new ownership and a new concept set to open in early 2024,” according to Teddy’s Preserve website. “For all the people that made Teddy’s what it was, from our amazing staff to our beloved guests, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the fun we had along the way. What a journey it was! We hope you continue your patronage for the new owners and their concept.”
