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A look back at the iconic blues, R&B, funk and soul bar and its 30-plus year history.

Where to send 2023 out in style in the Valley.

Phoenix New Times' tribute to notable people (and one elephant) who died in 2021. With illustrations by artist Luster Kaboom.

According to Cameron, the exterior of the property, a former residence built in 1944, will remain largely the same (save for being cleaned up and possibly getting a new coat of paint) while the interior will keep “a few key elements” and from its previous stint as an R&B spot, including its signature parquet dance floor. “We’re morphing it into something different that we hope both the neighborhood and community will enjoy. It will still feel like Char's from the outside, but when you walk in, a lot will be updated with new fixtures and finishes we’re bringing in,” Cameron says. �...

Long-running R&B joint Char’s Has the Blues has new owners, and they’re hoping to relaunch the bar under its current name and identity — so long as issues with the property can be fixed for a reasonable price. In mid-November, Valley businessman David Cameron and San Diego-based real estate broker Peter Valleau purchased the 2,245-square-foot bar and music venue, which is located on Seventh Avenue south of Camelback Road, from the previous owner, Peter Chedid, for an estimated $460,000. Char's closed in mid-March after Arizona Governor Doug Ducey ordered shut all bars statewide except...