GILBERT, AZ — There’s an effort to preserve a piece of Gilbert's history amid the new construction of a beer garden and nightclub in the heart of town.
As much as things have changed in Gilbert over the years, some things have stayed true to the town’s history.
In between modern bars and restaurants on Gilbert Road still stands the Clare House.
Built in 1918, the residence of what was once a sheet metal shop in a farming community managed to survive more than a century. It most recently served as the home of Bergies Coffee Roast House. The coffee is still available at the farmer’s market but the coffee shop recently shuttered.
In its place will soon be Bottled Blonde, a Scottsdale staple that’s a two-story beer garden and pizzeria by day and nightclub after sundown.
The proposal brought pause from some in the community, even an opposing petition.
ABC15 has been covering Bottled Blonde's proposal for a location in Gilbert since summer 2023:
The developer, Wag Capital, tells ABC15 that Bottled Blonde construction expects to start by June or July, which means the Clare House could be demolished — but not if Casey Kendel has anything to do with it.
”We have to raise a ton of money, and we don’t have a lot of time,” said Kendel, the chair of the redevelopment commission for the town of Gilbert.
He’s looking to raise $135,000 over the coming week to literally pick up the Clare House and move it just over a half mile south on Gilbert Road.
The hope is for the Clare House to sit in front of the town’s historical museum, HD South, so the community can appreciate the second-oldest building in town.
The oldest building is the museum, which was once Gilbert High School.
“Once it’s in place over at HD South, it will be open for tourism. It’s really about where we came from and where we’re at now,” said Kendel.
The developer of Bottled Blonde tells ABC15 they plan to donate money to help with moving the Clare House as part of the demolition process.
So far, there has been more than $14,000 raised. The hope is to get the needed money by the middle of May.
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