Just across the street from Fox Tucson Theatre, the side that faces Church Avenue, a train is rolling into town — sort of. The Phoenix-based Platform 18 cocktail bar and interactive experience is moving into the space that previously housed the Chapman Management Group.
The bar will be located in the basement of the building and will have a passenger train car seating area equipped with TV screens as windows, making it appear that you’re traveling along the tracks. The disclaimer on the site warns folks of “audio and lighting changes, low visibility, motion graphics, and occasional haze.”
I mean, you’re not exactly going to Hogwarts on this train, but some of the cocktails on the menu may feel like you’re zippin’ around on a broomstick (please drink responsibly).
Reservations are recommended for the Phoenix location which will likely be the same for the Old Pueblo bar.
“By booking a ticket (i.e., making a reservation), travelers will embark on a 90-minute journey that follows our fictitious hero, Hollis Cottley Pennington, a railroad tycoon and bootlegger, as he conducts business in the bayous of Louisiana. Guests will enjoy an opulent adventure to the 1930s while imbibing exquisite cocktails crafted by our team as well as tried-and-true classics from the 1930s and 1940s.”
The cocktail menu at Platform 18 features more than 40 cocktails such as classic concoctions, original cocktails, and even a few boozy ice cream and sorbet options. Now, the experience and the cocktail menu may be the same or completely different for us here in Tucson so we’ll just have to wait to find out.
The concept is owned by Mat Snapp who’s a partner at Barter & Shake, Executive VP of Operations across each concept, and a former beverage director for Fox Restaurant Concepts.
Stay tuned for more information on the actual opening date.
For more information about Platform 18, visit centurygrandphx.com.
