Have you ever noticed when the light hits your beer just right, it can give the appearance of liquid sunshine in a glass? Radiant, refreshing, and glowing from within. At Tucson’s newest beer and wine bar coming in 2024, sunshine in a glass will be a whole mood.
The folks at Caps & Corks recently signed a lease for a sunny new watering hole going in at Sol Block (formerly Solot Plaza; 2559 E. Broadway Blvd.), and are busy getting construction plans underway. Owners Ty, Elyse, Tad, and Dulce Hammett were intentional about choosing Sol Block and The Sunshine Mile as the location for their venture, The Broadway Beer & Wine Bar.
“We always thought this area needed more businesses like this,” said Elyse Hammett. “So when the Sunshine Mile redevelopment started materializing we knew we had to get in there. Since then we have learned of so many more businesses that will be coming in and we cannot wait to see the area in a couple of years.”
The Sunshine Mile is a Rio Nuevo-supported “placemaking” project which aims to build memorable, accessible public areas for the community to enjoy. Shopping, dining, socializing, and gathering are all integral parts of the placemaking philosophy of community development. Local commercial real estate developer Larsen Baker is taking on Solot Plaza, the specific block of The Sunshine Mile where The Broadway will find its home. A five-million-dollar investment into remodeling and rebranding the plaza as Sol Block will take place this year, and shortly thereafter this delightfully retro strip will be bustling with local Tucson businesses and restaurants, including The Broadway Beer & Wine Bar.
The Broadway will be the Hammett family’s second foray into the Tucson bar scene. The intention is for this new location to have its own unique feel — to be a part of the Caps & Corks family, but not a twin.
“The main identity will still be a comfortable and welcome place to come enjoy hard-to-find, high-quality craft beer,” said Elyse. However, in regards to the design concept and the name, she said, “We really want to pay homage to the original Sunshine Mile and a stretch of town that was incredibly important and influential to Tucson’s development.”
The new space will have a mid-century vibe in line with the historic plaza. The footprint of The Broadway Beer & Wine Bar measures about 2500 square feet and will seat approximately 100 guests inside. Fresh air lovers can breathe easy, because The Broadway will also feature an atrium-style covered outdoor patio running the length of the space, with room for 50 more guests to enjoy their beers al fresco. The bar will be flanked by two local Tucson eateries, so hungry guests won’t have far to go within Sol Block to grab a bite.
Tucson Foodie insider tidbit: the identity of these restaurants is still under wraps, but we can excitedly report that our readers will be very pleased.
The Broadway Beer & Wine Bar will feature 30 beer taps, including five permanent Arizona brewery taps, and eight taps of wine to enjoy by the glass.
“One major change [from the Caps & Corks model] is going to be a small wine and mead-based ‘cocktail’ menu for those folks not looking for a typical beer or wine pour,” said Elyse. “We will also be joining the slushy craze in the summer months for those looking for something completely different and refreshing.”
It’s never too soon to get excited about a new local taproom, but we will have to be patient for The Broadway to open up. In the meantime, they can pour you a glass of beer or wine at Caps & Corks. Or, you can saddle up the bar for a cold one at one of Tucson’s many other popular bars and breweries.
“The craft beer family here in Tucson is exactly that, a family,” said Elyse. “The amazing thing about all of the taprooms and breweries in town is that though they are very similar in products, they are very different in feel, vibe, and nature. There is something for everyone and the fact that we can be a very small piece of that huge family makes us extremely happy and humbled.”
The Broadway Beer & Wine bar will be centrally located at 2559 E. Broadway Blvd. and is slated to open in late 2024. For more information, follow The Broadway on Instagram. Caps & Corks is located at 3830 W. River Rd., and is open seven days per week. For more information, visit capsandcorksaz.com.
