GetOut Magazine

Let HurryDate hook you up
By KELLY WILSON
Get Out
Feb. 13, 2003

Men and women between the ages of 25 and 35 sip colorful martinis and down large gulps of beer while scoping out the crowd a mix of young professionals and party people at Scottsdale nightclub Six on a Wednesday night. But unlike meat market bars down the street such as Maloney's and Dos Gringos, the crowd members at Six don't need to dream up creative pickup lines and other icebreakers when they spot an attractive person sitting across the bar. The work is already done for them, thanks to HurryDate.

HurryDate, which operates in 30 cities across the United States, Canada and Europe, throws a group of about 50 singles under one roof for a dating extravaganza once a month.

Men and women accessorized with HurryDate numbers which are used to identify daters sit across from each other in a circle of booths and tables, where they mingle with other singles during a series of three-minute dating sessions. After each brief session, Dale Gizzo, the perky blond-haired host, blows a whistle to signal it's time to switch daters. But before the singles move on, they indicate on a score card whether they would like to see their partners again. At the end of the night, the score cards are tallied, and the daters receive e-mails the following day with their matches (both parties must mark a yes to match).

This is a fun night out, Gizzo says of the singles mixer that debuted in New York in 2001. It's not a dating service . . . It's not a bunch of losers. It's professional people who want to meet other people.

Dater Betsy Boynton, who received her HurryDate admission as a birthday gift, says the night exceeded her expectations.

This was a little more comfortable than I thought it would be, says Boynton, 30, of Phoenix. I thought I'd be more nervous, but it was a comfortable setting.

Throughout the 90-minute dating marathon at Six, daters discuss everything from work to the colors of their toothbrushes. Gizzo is hopeful some may even find their soulmates. One of HurryDate's success stories involves a couple who met in Atlanta.

They're now engaged, she says. I think there will be more engagements in the future.

Whether Six patrons will meet future spouses remains to be seen, but some were just happy to avoid the typical bar scene for an evening.

I thought it was fun, says Paul Andersen, 32, of Scottsdale. I kind of went into it not knowing what to expect. It would probably take me a year to meet 25 single girls.

Andersen's pal Steve Jackson says he was impressed with the size of the crowd.

You get to meet everyone at the bar, says Jackson, 29, of Scottsdale. If it's not going well, you get to get out of there, and if it is going well, you get to get out of there on a high note.

For Jackson, who ended up with seven out of seven matches, HurryDate has been a time-saver.

I am so busy with my career and fixing up my house that dating is third in line, he says. I guess I used the service for its purest use. It is efficient. I might try it again in six months or so.

HurryDate

Where: Six, 7316 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
How much: $35, preregistration required
Drink specials: $4 wine and well drinks, $3 domestic bottled beer
Info: or www.hurrydate.com

MORE QUICKIE DATING
Fast Dater
Similar to HurryDate, Fast Dater introduces singles during various three-minute dating sessions.

Next event: 7 p.m. March 5 at Barcelona (15440 Greenway-Hayden Loop, Scottsdale), will feature half-price drinks and free fish tacos before the party starts.
Age group: 27 to 40
Price: $30
Info: www.fastdater.com

8 Minute Dating
This lengthier dating party will introduce you to eight singles during a series of eight-minute dates.

Next event: 8 p.m. Friday at Hard Rock Cafe (3 S. Second St., Phoenix), a Valentine's Day bash at which more than 100 singles will meet up for appetizers, prizes and music.
Age group: 21 and older
Price: $40, advance registration
required
Info: www.8minutedating.com