‘Dinner-and-a-Show’ on Main

In the two years the Mesa Arts Center has been open, Main Street business owners and arts patrons have been at a standoff.

Businesses didn’t want to stay open later unless there was more demand. Customers didn’t want to come to Main Street before a show unless they knew something was open.

Now, a new concept promoted by the arts center may help the two meet in the middle.

“We wanted to break the deadlock,” said arts and culture director Johann Zietsman.

The arts center has started a “Dinner-and-a-Show” package that combines show tickets, a meal at a Mesa restaurant and parking for one reduced price.

The program is furthering the momentum of downtown Mesa nightlife.

In March, businesses along Main Street started hosting “Friday Night Out” to attract more customers to the area.

Since then, the Friday night events have grown, and nearby restaurants are responding to the buzz.

The “Dinner-and-a-Show” package started this month and will continue until December.

The schedule pairs shows and restaurants such as the musician Jewel and S Bistro for $100 and “La Ofrenda” with Mangos Mexican Cafe for a $22.50 lunch show.

“We’ll see how that goes, and see how big it can grow,” said arts center spokesman Walter Morlock. “We’re hoping people will show up an hour and a half early to see more than just the show.”

Posh Nosh, a bistro at Center and Main streets, received city approval this month for a liquor license, after being open nearly a year.

It will be the only restaurant serving liquor on Main Street between Country Club and Mesa drives. Alcohol is served at Kirks Sports Grill on Main Street, but is considered a bar.

Chef Jesse Rogers said the restaurant waited on the license because “we weren’t sure it was the direction we wanted to go.”

“The more business we’ve done, we found it was something customers wanted,” he said.

It will change how Posh Nosh does dinner.

In a few weeks, the bistro will start offering traditional table-side service, linen and candlelight and gourmet menu options in the evenings.

Meanwhile, the “Friday Night Out” events, hosted the second Friday of every month, are attracting more people, said Sharon Winter, vice president of the Downtown Mesa Association.

Winter said last month’s outing brought an increase in foot traffic along with the 102-degree heat.

“They are pretty much jumping on this bandwagon and it’s slowly gaining momentum,” she said. “From the very get-go, we said we wanted to grow slowly but we wanted to grow correctly.”