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Esoteric Audio returns luxury retail to downtown Phoenix
High-end audio retailer Esoteric Audio will celebrate its Grand Opening from 1 – 7pm next Saturday, February 27, 2016 with a gala event that re-introduces luxury retail to downtown Phoenix for the first time in 30 years.
“The closure of Hanny’s Department Store in 1986 marked the end of high-end retail in downtown,” says Esoteric Audio owner Andrew Papanikolas. “The tide of positive changes in downtown’s landscape suggested that the time was right for a renaissance. We wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else.”
The store, located in the 111 Monroe Tower, pays homage to the building’s mid-century origins with an open space plan, vaulted ceilings and ample use of glass and natural materials to bring the outside in. Designed by Richard Jensen of local architecture firm WORKSBUREAU, the space is an extreme departure from the claustrophobic and chaotic setting often associated with audio showrooms. “We wanted to prove that incredible sound and good taste were not mutually exclusive,” says Papanikolas.
The store, which carries audio equipment for home and personal use, features an array of products from modest single components to entire concert hall quality systems. Offerings range from under $1000 for a comprehensive home stereo system to edge-of-the-art components topping six figures, but each product represents the best in its class at its price point. “The goal,” says Papanikolas, “is to cultivate the enjoyment of music no matter how much or little our customers spend.”
The day-long Grand Opening will provide an opportunity for customers to sample different systems and meet personally with manufacturers who will be on hand to demonstrate the limits of their respective products. The event will also feature wine and craft beer tastings provided by neighboring retailer Hidden Track Bottle Shop, and hors d’oeuvres from downtown restaurants. Most importantly, it will provide an opportunity for music to be enjoyed the way it was meant to be: in the company of friends. More information can be found at www.esotericaudioaz.com.
Photos courtesy of Esoteric Audio.
