Scottsdale’s self-proclaimed “world class club” Hi Fi Kitchen & Cocktails is under hot water for possibly discriminating against a Tucsonan decked out in University of Arizona Wildcats apparel. Michael Underwood was asked to leave the club Sunday afternoon because he was wearing a University of Arizona hat, so Underwood put the cap in his vehicle and tried to re-enter the establishment. The Daily published Michael Underwood’s video of a Hi Fi security guard refusing the Wildcats fan back in the club because he was violating dress code.

Underwood panned his camera phone around the establishment and captured multiple patrons (not wearing UA gear) violating the dress code, but they weren’t being asked to leave.

Here’s the official response from Hi Fi Facebook page:

Well…
Looks like an explanation is in order. The video circulating around, was a door rejection based on our after 5 p.m. dress code. It has nothing WHATSOEVER to do with his U of A gear. Plain and simple. After 5, we begin the transition to a dinner atmosphere, and nightclub thereafter. I know, I know…but a dress code comes along with the territory.

To claim we’re not welcoming of Wildcats is just rubbish! I mean, we’re hosting a Wildcat viewing party this Thursday, not to mention one of our sister bars is Wildcat headquarters. Sun Devils, Wildcats, Ducks, Gators, Billikens…

every one is welcome, so retract the claws, Cats, we come in peace!

Here’s another response for good measure:

The gentleman who was denied entry to our Scottsdale location was not allowed into the establishment because he was out of dress code. He was in no way denied entry due to UA Attire.

We chose to open a location in Tucson because we want to work with the University and have great respect for their fans. Our management team is led by UA Alumni and our staff consists of an army of Wildcats. We would not have chosen to open in Tucson if we didn’t care about the city’s deep connection to the University and its Athletics.

We apologize for the confusion and look forward to supporting the city of Tucson, the University of Arizona and its fans for years to come.

Thank You,
Rick Cano, GM
Hi Fi Kitchen & Cocktails Tucson

So, what does this say about the new Hi Fi restaurant under construction in downtown Tucson?

Maybe this is just an isolated event and the Tucson location will be more Wildcat-friendly. We would like to hope so. You know we love new business coming to the Old Pueblo. So, will you give Hi Fi the benefit of the doubt and bring your business when the music-centric, retro haunt club is up and running?

This article appears in Mar 20-26, 2014.

24 replies on “Hi Fi Kitchen Responds to Wildcat Cap Kerfuffle”

  2. Listen, I don’t even know why this article was written guys. It was a totally a isolated incident. Also, we apologized numerous times.

  3. “We apologize for the confusion”…… You’re almost there with the apology, but not quite. The implication is that those who are offended simply don’t know what they’re talking about. Mr. Cano, the confusion was created by your inconsistent and arbitrary dress code which was inexpertly explained, and then executed by the doorman. And please don’t question “why this article was written” … for covering a story entirely of your creation… it just makes you sound whiny and a little like, oh I don’t know, like a Fox news anchor or something.

    I’m sure you’re a great manager, that this event was totally isolated and I’d love to see your business do great things in Tucson. So, I humbly suggest that you get out in front of this story. Give an “unconditional” apology. ” We made a big mistake.” ( NO QUALIFYING LANGUAGE ) Trust me, people will forgive you. State that your staff will get new training on dress codes and doorman etiquette. ( Don’t fire the doorman. ) Post and publish your dress codes. Reach out to the gentleman who was turned away and make things right. Buy him a nice dinner for 2 “on the house” and make him feel welcome. Reach out to Wildcat fans with a U of A Night. Laugh and smile and don’t become defensive and brittle about this. Each time the subject is brought up, engage and apologize as necessary. Before long this will all fade away.

    Good luck and best wishes!

  4. Let’s not run a business out of town before they’ve even opened the doors. I don’t think it’s fair to judge an entire business based on a hidden video showing one slow witted employee in Scottsdale bungling the dc policy. There are plenty of Tucson employees who are already busy getting ready for the opening and many many more Tucsonan’s will have the opportunity to work at Hi Fi Tucson in the coming years. Give Hi Fi Tucson a chance. Let’s not hurt those Tucson employees.

  6. Tucson beware. This business doesn’t give two shits about you, the UofA, or Tucson. They are slick snake-oil salesman that want to ram down a Scottsdale product down our throats with how they do business and how they bend the rules to conform to their needs. Trust me when I say its all about them. And when they eventually decide that Tucson can’t support their high prices, bad service, and bro attitude they will pull up stakes just like Toby Keith did and leave us all holding the bag.

  7. Will I? No. My shirt and shoes frequently match.

    I agree with the swampheel proposal though.

  8. swampheel – They may employ people in Tucson, but ultimately the ownership takes the profit out of Tucson. Those same employees can work for many of our locally owned businesses just as easily as this dump. Businesses that have ownership that bleed blue and red, raise their families here, and spend the profits in our local economy. Support local, period.

  10. Regardless of intentions, this city has seen it’s share of wannabe Scottsdale/LA/Vegas clubs through the years… Truth. In reality, if you expect to enforce a strict PM dress code in Downtown Tucson then there will be blow-back. It may work on Friday and Saturday nights when everyone and their uncle wants in but the first time you try to enforce it on a Wednesday or Thursday? Well, expect to be sending home a bartender and a cpl of servers home early for the night… ‘Cause it will not be as busy as you’d expect.

  11. Reading these comments makes it easy to see why Tucson is ranked as one of the lowest business-friendly, as well as one of the poorest, cities in the country.

  14. Just what Tucson needs, a snooty bar. Most of the snooty bars have closed as will this nonsense.

  15. As the facts unfold, this is not an anti-wildcat issue… this is because he was black. A lot worse.

  16. Come on guy, you didn;t throw the dude in the cubby jersey out on his ass? That is the real issue here.

  17. I’ve eaten at some of the best restaurants in the city and none of them has ever turned me away for not being dressed according to a code. Aren’t you being a bit pretentious by asking people to dress up to go to a bar?

  18. I looked at their menu, I think it is safe to say that Hi Fi can take the kitchen out of their name. Just Sayin’

  19. i’m sure that world of beers is loving this now that the attention is no longer on them! This was a huge mistake as well as the subsequent mishandling of the situation. This company might as well not bother coming here. With such shitty PR they will have a hard time recovering.

  20. I know the man very well who this is about and he was dressed and is always dressed ten times better than the people on the patio. Look deeper into the real issue.

  21. This is not an isolated event, On sunday i was denied access to Hi Fi due to having on a v neck shirt and high top shoes. There where multiple people inside with the same atire. Also we have video of a guy coming in right behind me and being let right in with the same atire as myself. There is some discriminiation at play here with this establishment.

  22. @Rod Smith – We need to get the word out on this. Let the AZstar reporter know this happened to you as well.

  23. This isn’t an isolated incident, on their pages and Yelp you’ll find dozens of people complaining about the “dress code” policy being used as a way to not let minorities in the building.

    On their own Facebook pages they have photos from that evening of multiple white guys wearing hats and athletic gear.

    Hi Fi hasn’t apologized but instead sent employees into the comment section of articles to defend the club and to call Tucson and the community idiots. I’ll never spend a dollar in their establishments, and I hope you don’t either.

  24. Typical advice from the lawyers and PR firms is to deny wrongdoing (even though the evidence is obvious and was caught on video) and to impune the victim further to protect the corporate brand (say it was an isolated incident, anyone who disagrees with the company is wrong, or whatever “world class” bullshit job the PR firm thinks will fly.) Employees are typically put in a position of having to defend the dishonesty and retaliation (even in the comments section) or lose their own jobs. An apology without a change in policy is recognized as nothing more than lip service from a company that has no intention of changing what they do. (Case Study: Amy’s ABC of Scottsdale)

Comments are closed.