Phoenix, AZ - SF's Long Lost Sister City

Most people living within the foggy bubble of San Francisco don't often realize the close cultural ties our beautiful and eccentric city may share with our fellow American urbanites.  SF prides itself for slightly side-stepping the mainstream flow and short-lived trends that form the cultural foundation for other major cities like Los Angeles, while remaining one of the most influential cities in the world when it comes to contemporary and urban art.

Having a notorious rivalry with what we may as well call our "evil step-sister," Los Angeles, San Franciscans tend to keep our heads down when it comes to making close ties with neighboring cities.  We see ourselves as unique, hard-working, and unpretentious.  However, while we may not realize it, another western city flanking our borders is brewing, and its cultural recipe is one that might just evoke a newfound friendship with our beloved City by the Bay...that is, if we take the time to see beyond the fog...

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While Phoenix culture has a distinctive style all their own, it seems the creative counter-culture that is growing quickly there is straight from our hearts.  Harking on the skateboarding/tattoo/urban-art roots that have re-emerged as a slightly more sophisticated and authentically creative hipster culture, Phoenix, AZ may as well be deemed the long-lost Sister City of San Francisco.  

Deep in the heart of gritty Downtown Phoenix, two young entrepreneurs have honed in on this rapidly emerging scene.  AZ natives, Jeff Mann & Kyle Simone have set out to build an empire of sophisticated and culturally-attuned creative individuals through their brand new retail store/art gallery, Phoenicia Association.

Jeff Mann & Kyle Simone - founders of Phoenicia Association

And build they did...

From hand-stenciling business cards to stripping paint and laying down wood flooring, Mann & Simone have literally built their company from the ground up.  The company name is derived from the native indigenous civilization of the region, and all of the branding for the company pays tribute, including the company logo which is a contemporary interpretation of the ancient Phoenician alphabet.

The retail store will be selling men's apparel from brands previously unseen in Arizona including: 3sixteen (NYC), April 77 and HIXSEPT (both from Paris).  The goal is to offer a newer, more sophisticated flavor to the Phoenix fashion scene, and target the incoming youth of the city's growing population.

(April 77)

Along with the retail store, Phoenicia will be featuring local and national artists in their adjacent gallery on a monthly basis.

Phoenicia Association will open its doors THIS FRIDAY, AUG 7 from 7pm-11pm.  The event is free and open to the public, and will feature art by Travis Cota, and live music by William Reed, Issa, & The Ghouliez.

Kyle Simone (owner) and Travis Cota (first featured artist)

Phoenicia Association is located at:

821 N. 3rd St., Suite 13

Phoenix, AZ

(corner of Garfield & 3rd, one block south of Roosevelt)

For more information, and to stay informed on the store and gallery, visit the official website at www.wearephoenicia.com

You can also find them on facebook