When you're in Scottsdale Arizona

Scottsdale article.

By

Sue McNally

Louisville KY

theartistsgirlfriendpr@yahoo.com

When you're in Scottsdale Arizona, it can be hard to escape the beige, but Kelly Cole knows how to make that happen. He's risen above the desert landscape and the pastel clad retirees to create a gear head paradise.

Cole's business enterprises, Chopper's and Chop N Wok, are the inspired creations of one man's obsessions. Cole likes things with motors, girls, and style, and he has combined the three to create a budding business empire, and a comfortable escape for anyone tired of the more conservative Scottsdale vibe.

Chop N Wok opened in March, and it may be the first smoothie bar you've ever walked into that also has a liquor license. Actually, Chop N Wok has everything - it's a smoothie bar, coffee shop, Chinese food restaurant, and it also happens to be a very cool bar. It's open from 6 a.m. for the coffee crowd, to midnight for the party crowd. (Scottsdale closes up early.)

Cole did all the work himself, and it's taken him one and a half years. From the hand-poured concrete bar-top, to the rusted faux bamboo fountains welded from old lengths of pipe, the Chop N Wok offers a vibe like no other. The place caters to the crowd that loves tattoos, great jalopies, loud music and lots of pretty women.

Cole's partner in crime at the bar is Jamie Mathers, the lead singer for local punk band Blanche Davidian. Along with doing a little of everything at the Chop N Wok, including manning the grill when necessary (he makes an amazing Jalapeño Rangoon- bits of fresh minced jalapeño stirred into cream cheese, fried up in a wonton wrapper), he supplies one of the best of the bar's decorations. Along the walls, there are great looking, broken guitars. Local bands bring them to Mathers when they become over-excited and annihilate their instruments onstage. The Chop N Wok gives them their due, hanging the autographed artifacts in places of honor.

The bar is the new effort for Cole. Things really got started for him in Scottsdale when he opened Choppers, the areas hippest hair salon, across the street from the Chop N Wok.

Choppers is the outgrowth of Cole's realization that style and women could combine profitably, if he would just learn to cut hair. Turns out, he's real good at it, and the décor of the salon says volumes about his style skill. Cole used to be the guy who discovered movie stuff to decorate the Planet Hollywood restaurants, and his amazing eye is on display everywhere at Choppers.

Cole is building a bike in the waiting room area inside, and another gorgeous chopper sits outside. The front of the building also offers up part of Cole's incongruous collection of surfboards. "I wanted to show some of the folks working for me that you could make anything happen. They said I wouldn't be able to collect surfboards in Scottsdale, so I put a sign out front, saying I would pay cash for them. I quit after I bought 27."

You'll also find Cole's real love in front of Choppers - Miss Behavin', a '31 Ford Deuce Coupe he is customizing. "Her slogan is "It's OK to misbehave as long as you look good doin' it," grins Cole. "Otherwise, it's just plain ugly."

Cole and Mathers invite all lovers of fast cars, bikes and women to come see them. They say Scottsdale is a nice drive from Tucson, Prescott, Gerome, Carefree and Greasewood. The Chop N Wok is ready to host rallies, bike shows and whatever else, and there is another local and legendary biker bar, the Dirty Dogg, right across the street.

Cole is not finished building his fast-moving empire. He is launching a clothing line, Peroxide Princess and hopes to open another Chop N Wok in downtown Scottsdale. Eventually, though he hopes to open additional Choppers and Chop N Woks in Costa Rica, allowing him to work one more element - beaches - into his already excellent lifestyle.

Choppers is located at 7189 E. Shea Blvd.

Scottsdale, AZ 85254

480-922-0262

Chop N Wok is across the street.