Beauty Bar, the nightlife staple on the corner of 19th and Mission streets since 1998, permanently closed its doors after the owners sold the business, its manager, Anthony Alvarado, confirmed on Tuesday.
“They closed it very quickly,” said Alvarado, adding that he is “still trying to figure out some things, myself.”
Even though he managed the business, Alvarado said, he had heard the news from someone else, but was certain of the sale.
On the bar’s door, a sign put up over the weekend announced a “facelift,” implying the closure was temporary. “See you next summer!” the sign read. When asked about the notice of the facelift, Alvarado laughed and said, “I did not put that up.”
Employees at nearby businesses said the bar was open on Friday and Saturday, but that the notice of closure was up on Sunday. The bar’s owners were not immediately available for comment.
Julian, a worker at the nearby Royal Cuckoo Market on 19th Street, said the owner, Aaron Buhrz, mentioned he “wanted to get [the bar] rolling again” in a conversation last month, but was surprised to find out the owners seemed to have sold the bar “overnight.”
But others were not surprised about the closure.
“This has been told to us for the past few months,” said DJ Alley Oops, who performed at Beauty Bar in March. “I guess the owner pulled the trigger without telling everyone.”
“It sucks, because [the workers there] are hardworking people,” added a bartender at a nearby business, who declined to give his name.
On Instagram, people shared memories of the Beauty Bar: Standing outside the door waiting for the bar to open, “sweaty dancing” on the oft-packed dance floor, and the time when the bar was still doing manicures over martinis. But the memories also included less-pleasant ones.
“People have fun there,” the bartender continued. “But I’ve noticed people from out of town going there and causing trouble, doing whatever they want.”
Oscar, who works at Kimbara, a Peruvian restaurant next door, said there have been issues with people “starting trouble” at the bar.
Just a week ago, shots were fired outside of Beauty Bar on a Friday night, leaving a fist-size hole in the bar’s window. Oscar’s niece’s car was parked just outside of the bar and was hit by the bullets.
The owner of Mission Street Burgers, the smashburger vendor that set up a grill and table on the sidewalk for late night meals, said he would move away from the corner of 19th and Mission streets, shaken from the shooting.
Nonetheless, the Mission is losing another institution.
“I am honored to be amongst the last to be able to rock the Beauty Bar,” posted John, or DJ GoldCutz, who performed at Beauty Bar last Thursday. “And, sadly, the end of an era.”
It’s kinda funny that Beauty Bar is now considered a lost “neighborhood staple” and an “institution”, given that in 1998 it was consider an example of the Mission becoming “bland” and was targeted by guerrilla anti-gentrification groups. Everything old is new again.
Yeah, I remember that. As if it was always OK to have yuppie joints on Valencia. But Mission Street, like 24th Street, has to stay down-at-heel, grimy and sketchy forever because . . .
Nestor Makhno could not be reached for comment.
So long, never liked it. Seemed to attract a dodgy crowd.