Old Town Scottsdale

It’s what most people know of Scottsdale, a place revered by visitors and locals alike, the place of festivals, artsy events, evening strolls, and just a fun place to hang out – Scottsdale style.

What’s now Old Town used to be just “town” a couple of decades ago. In fact, you’ll find Arizona’s oldest continuously operated family business there, Cavalliere’s Blacksmith Shop, originally opened on the outskirts of town at Second Street and Brown, a fulsome business in Arizona’s Territorial days).  As commerce and tourism replaced residential in the area, houses were either converted to businesses or pushed over for more modern development.  Some remain, scattered around the area here and there, and a robust condo and townhouse district emerged, attracting housing aficionados of a walkable, urban, upscale lifestyle that is on the uptick these days.

Those, and some neighborhoods a few more blocks away from the tourism section, remained and flourished, thanks to cool funkiness, proximity to the happening scene, or pure stubbornness. It’s now one of the most sought-after areas for those who want that ambiance. It’s the Arizona urban version of Miami’s South Beach or L.A.’s Marina Del Rey, a haven for the active, cool, and trendy.