Shoppers will soon be able to stroll the grounds of the Desert Ridge Marketplace and Tempe Marketplace shopping centers with a beer, cocktail or glass of wine.
“We say it helps everyone by increasing time spent at the shopping center, which increases everyone’s sales,” Pat McGinley, the president of management services for Vestar, told the Business Journal. “You can get a drink at a movie theater and walk around resorts and golf courses with a cocktail, so why not retail centers?”
The Legislature initially passed a three-year pilot bill in 2019 that allowed for booze to be consumed outside of bars and restaurants in shopping centers. Desert Ridge was the only center in the state to take advantage of the temporary law. McGinley said he wasn’t sure why more centers didn't apply for the licenses, but he said it is an important amenity for Vestar.
The permanent bill differs from 2019 one and allows multiple tenants to serve alcohol that can be consumed off their premises. At Desert Ridge, six tenants have applied to be part of the new program, and five have at Tempe Marketplace. McGinley expects that number to increase once it gets going.