The Buzz nightclub is closed

Plenty more 18+ parties in Scottsdale

By Kellie Hwang

Posted September 15, 2009

azcentral.com

The Valley's go-to club for partiers 18-and-older quietly closed its doors permanently Saturday, Sept, 12.

After 13 years of providing a dance spot for under-agers, the Buzz, at 10345 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, had its last party on Saturday night before turning off the strobe lights and unplugging the speakers.

"Business started to slide off economically and...we tried to get through the summer to see how things would pan out, but in the end, it was a financial decision," said Dave Andrea, one of the club's operating partners.

Another reason for the closing is competition from other clubs. Afterlife, which took over the once-trendy e4 location in Old Town Scottsdale in the spring, opened its doors to the 18 and older crowd recently. Myst welcomes those younger than 21 on Friday nights.

"A lot of clubs started to take a little business from us," Andrea said. "All these club started to have their own little 18-and-over night and it added up to enough to lead us to that decision."

The 20,000 square-foot bi-level nightclub had a large dance floor downstairs, and a smaller, 21-and-older-only lounge upstairs, and it stayed open until 4 a.m. In the past, the bar has opened its doors to even younger partiers during their special Club 20 nights for 15- to 20-year-olds.

Marc Boileau, another operating partner, said the Buzz has survived so long because it wasn't pretentious.

"We provided a safe atmosphere for people to go out, and we weren't the traditional, stuck-up snobby Scottsdale bar," he said. "We catered to everyone and every customer that came in was just as important as the next customer."

Andrea said the building is being put up for sale. He hopes future owners might consider continuing the tradition.

"We want to finish on a positive note," he said. "It's been a good run and we hope the public understands. We are looking to sell the building and we hope they will pick up where we left off and re-brand it.... There are some groups we are talking to already, but it won't be us."