Java.Mar.2016

Photos courtesy of Genuine Concepts
“I don’t want to buy anything.” This is the first thing
I hear when I call Tucker Woodbury on a Sunday
morning, and based on his deadpan delivery, I feel
as though I have reached a sarcastic voicemail. The
following chuckle on the other end convinces me
otherwise and informs me that it’s just a shtick and
that, well, I’m speaking with a human. It also informs
me that I’m speaking with someone who is living one
hell of a life.
If You Carry Your Childhood with You, You May
Never Become Older
Woodbury has an impressive resume. He is a creative
entrepreneur who has helped produce some of the most
iconic hangouts in Phoenix, physical portmanteaus of old
and new. His projects include Valley Bar, Cobra Arcade
Bar, The Vig (four locations), The Beverly, Crescent
Ballroom, Linger Longer Lounge, The Little Woody
and others, with more to come under his umbrella
company, Genuine Concepts.
Like many people in Phoenix, Woodbury is originally
from somewhere else. He grew up near Boulder,
Colorado, and his childhood exemplifies two
aspects of his business acumen. His father was an
entrepreneur and his mom was a writer. His dad
showed him the value of hard work and his mom
instilled within him a love of poetry and writing.
“There’s a real business side of me from my dad and
a creative side of me that came from my mom,” said
Woodbury. “I can think creatively to design and build
businesses, and can still think creatively in trying to
keep them open.” In college Woodbury decided to
pursue journalism because it was a major where he
could use his creative skills in a way that allowed
him to make a living.
Throughout his early adulthood, Woodbury was
drawn to hosting and having parties. For his high
school graduation, he recalls having a keg (the legal
drinking age was 18 at the time) and his mom went
to the store to refill the keg for him. Not many moms
would do that today, but his parents have always
supported his dreams—even if that meant providing
elixirs. Woodbury threw a lot of parties in college and
enjoyed organizing and coming up with the best way
to make people happy. “I wanted people to have the
kind of fun that I wanted to have,” Woodbury said.
After graduating, Woodbury moved to New York
and worked in advertising, but there was something
missing—he wasn’t having fun. He had a friend in
Arizona who was involved in the restaurant and bar
industry, and Woodbury felt like that would be a good
fit for him, so he moved.
Woodbury transplanted to Arizona in 1990 and never
looked back. His first major success came with the
Rocking Horse, which was a music venue/roadhouse
that set the blueprint for Crescent Ballroom. The
Rocking Horse was a hot spot in Scottsdale in the
’90s, hosting new and emerging national touring
bands. It operated until 1996, when it burned down
in a fire.
You Shall Go Through the Fire and Not Get
Burned
Though the Rocking Horse burned down, there was
a diamond in the ashes. It was that Woodbury had
met Charlie Levy, a club promoter at the time. They
instantly developed a friendship built around giving
people exciting experiences by combining bars and
restaurants with concert venues. Woodbury brought
the restaurant and bar expertise while Levy brought
the concert and booking vision.
After the Rocking Horse burned down, Woodbury
decided to go back into advertising. Levy continued
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