The Stud, San Francisco’s oldest gay bar, closes after over 50 years

Today, The Stud, San Francisco’s oldest gay bar, announced that it is closing its doors after over 50 years due to lack of revenue as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Despite giving a fundraiser and hosting weekly online drag shows, the historic bar at 399 Ninth St. was unable to stay afloat, CBS SF Bay Area reports.

“It was a very difficult decision to make,” said Honey Mahogany, one of the co-owners.

However, Honey also said that there’s still a chance that the bar will find a new home and reopen again in the future.

Open since 1966, the bar is one of the most iconic in the country, and has occupied its current location since 1987. It plans to hold a “drag funeral” on May 31 to honor the bar and it’s legacy. 

Supervisor Matt Haney, state Sen. Scott Weiner, and bar owners Honey Mahogany, Vivianne Forevermore! and Rachel Ryan will gather to discuss the closure at a press conference at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

California issued a statewide stay-at-home order on March 19, requiring non-essential businesses to close in an effort to fight the spread of COVID-19.

The state moved into “Stage 2” of reopening this month, “where retail (curbside and delivery only), related logistics and manufacturing, office workplaces, limited personal services, outdoor museums, child care, and essential businesses can open with modifications,” according to the governor’s office.

“We recognize the impact of economic hardship,” says the governor’s office. “We must get our economy roaring once again and put paychecks in people’s pockets. But the risk of COVID-19 infection is still real for all Californians and continues to be fatal.”