It’s hard to find anyone who actually visited the old Arizona Knitting & Needlepoint Shop on the prime real estate where Goldwater Boulevard and Scottsdale Road split. Old reviews hint at a space with yarn hanging from the low ceilings and narrow aisles packed with supplies. Today it’s home to craft of a different kind.
The new Sip Coffee & Beer House is filled with natural light, open community tables, and a welcoming vibe. Open since March, it is one of Arizona’s first spots dedicated to both craft beers and specialty coffee service.
For owners Travis and Tida Radevski, Sip is 16 years in the making.
“It’s all in my blood,” says Travis. “It’s been a dream of mine for a long, long time.”
In those years, the full concept for Sip evolved. It started with a coffee shop—a place that would bring people together. But as the craft beer movement grew, so did their appreciation for it. They decided to create a spot that would feature both.
“Few have done it successfully,” Travis explains. “The local and craft movement used to be a hipster movement. Only now are you seeing coffee and craft beer together.”
Sip has 22 taps that include 19 beers, two wines and one cold brewed coffee. There is also a reach-in cooler with bottled and canned beers to drink on site and a full-service coffee bar.
In keeping with their commitment to stay local, Sip keeps four taps for Arizona brews and the remaining are from breweries within a 500-mile distance from the state. The beers rotate seasonally. The line up started with IPAs, but now features Belgians, saisons, and sours.
“We really want to educate people about beer. I usually recommend one that’s similar to what they (customers) like and one that’s totally different,” Travis says. “About half will stick to what they like. The rest will try something new.”
