Community Highlights: Meet Shannon Moss of The Garfield Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Moss.

Hi Shannon, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The Garfield Phoenix is located out of a retro-modern diner that offers quality food and a gathering place that’s welcome to all. We’re definitely a destination spot that’s worth visiting for the food, and the charm. A few years back, I started Shanny’s Frozen Bananas & Ice Cream, and more recently Shanny’s Bakeshop.

My husband founded Viva Cabrón Mexican food and we had both been mobile doing events and such. Both of us had been looking for a brick & mortar location since the pandemic began after all events seized up and we stumbled upon the historic location we’re at now by accident back in June of last year.

We both knew it as the original Welcome Diner location from years back and it had been vacant for a while. We met with the owner and felt that with our background, hard work, and vision we could really revitalize the location and resurrect it into a new thriving restaurant venue. This also brings us to the name, since it’s nestled in the heart of the Garfield neighborhood.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a new business during a pandemic definitely had and still has its challenges.

Just the process of getting permits and licenses has taken an unprecedented amount of time and delays. With raw product shortages and costs going up, we have a lot of challenges we’re up against plus staffing issues.

We also worked for months doing renovation & repairs since the property was in pretty bad shape which just dragged on and on. We currently have limited hours until things start to shift in our favor.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Garfield Phoenix is located out of a vintage pre-fabricated Arthur Valentine diner from the 50s that was brought to Phoenix in the 1980s. It’s a very unique and charming little spot with lots of character including its signature pink and green neon.

We modernized a few elements of the diner and revitalized the property to make it fresh, new, and inviting. We have a retro 9 seat countertop inside, a large outdoor patio, and a convenient walk-up window.

We offer authentic Sonora-style Mexican food like carné asada tacos & burritos, plus artisan ice cream, coffee, baked goods and have a full bar on the way. We also offer a tasty Sunday brunch and hold special events for the first Friday and other gatherings.

Contact Info:

• Email: Thegarfieldphx@yahoo.com
• Website: https://the-garfield-phoenix.square.site/
• Instagram: @the_garfield_phx
• Facebook: The Garfield Phoenix

Image Credits
The Garfield Phoenix