When the Arizona Wildcats clinched the 1997 NCAA championship, Grant Krueger stood on a Tucson rooftop and heard the city roar.
Nearly three decades later, the restaurateur is betting that same Wildcat energy can power his latest venture, a downtown sports bar:
Krueger’s Block A will move into the 9,000-square-foot former Hi-Fi Kitchen & Cocktails space at 345 E. Congress. The UA-inspired bar-restaurant is expected to open in early 2026.
Rendering of the interior of Block A Sports Bar and Grill.
Block A Sports Bar & Grill is the newest concept of Krueger’s Union Hospitality Group. It’s designed to blend watching sports and elevated pub food with the deep well of UA pride that Krueger says defines Tucson’s identity.
As a University of Arizona graduate who has worked in restaurants for 35 years, Krueger said the connection between Tucson and its college teams is central to the bar’s vision.
“I think it’s a very strong part of it,” he said. “I’m both a University of Arizona graduate and a big fan of the teams. I know how important all that is to Tucson.”
Without major professional sports teams of its own, Tucson often rallies around the Wildcats as a source of community identity. Krueger said that pride has been evident throughout his decades in hospitality.
He recalls the night of Arizona’s 1997 NCAA championship as one of the most electric moments he’s experienced in the city. Back then, he worked for a restaurant at St. Philip’s Plaza. After the game, he climbed up to the roof and could hear the entire valley erupt as the Wildcats defeated Kentucky in overtime.
“You could just feel the celebration throughout the whole city,” he said. “It was magical.”
That spirit is what Krueger hopes Block A will capture.
For Krueger, replacing the Phoenix-based Hi-Fi Kitchen & Cocktails with a concept rooted in local identity felt like the right move. Hi-Fi was open 11 years before closing last February amid a slew of run-ins with law enforcement, including fights, underage drinking and drug sales.
“Nightclubs can be fleeting,” he said. “We’re looking with Block A to build something that’s a little more pub and a little less club.”
Krueger said the buildout will be substantial, with major changes planned to shift the former nightclub into a tech-forward sports bar. Block A will include redesigned kitchen space, large LED walls, and a new audio-visual system installed by a Las Vegas firm that specializes in building major sportsbooks.
“If we’re designing a club right from scratch, we want to build the viewing experience from the ground up,” he said, explaining that the team is reconstructing key parts of the space rather than reusing Hi-Fi’s nightclub layout.
“We’re looking to bring something bigger and brighter and more visually entertaining,” he said. “Our goal is to create a viewing experience second to none in Tucson.”
The LED walls will also serve multiple purposes beyond sports: backdrops for bands, DJ sets, charity events and other programs.
The remodel is partially financed through Rio Nuevo, the city’s downtown redevelopment district. Fletcher McCusker, the board’s chair, said the agency is investing $800,000 toward the project’s $3.3 million remodel.
“That corner is the gateway to downtown, and Grant is a well-known operator,” McCusker said, adding that the board views Block A as a strong fit for the Congress Street corridor.
Grant Krueger, owner of Union Hospitality Group, will reopen the downtown space that once housed HiFi Kitchen & Cocktails. A new upscale bar that focuses on University of Arizona sports could open by early next year.
Krueger said Block A will operate a scratch-made kitchen with dishes not typically served in a sports bar. He also plans to keep the kitchen open until midnight, something he said is rare in Tucson’s dining landscape.
“There are so few places in Tucson where you can get a decent meal after 9 or 10 p.m.,” he said, adding that he hopes Block A becomes a go-to stop for people leaving UA games, concerts and downtown theater performances.
Krueger said opening downtown “was just an opportunity of a lifetime.”
“It’s the intersection between University of Arizona students and Tucson as a whole,” he added. “We think it’s going to be a really great fit.”
Krueger said the team is aiming to be open in time for March Madness.
