February 12, 2007
Save the Barleycorn
There's a move afoot to help save one of San Francisco's famed bars, the John Barleycorn on 1500 California Street. Apparently, after forty years or so of business, the new owner of the property wants it gone and won't even talk about renewing the new lease. A web site has been put up to help fight the power.
While SFist Nico went to the Barleycorn and gave it a vigurous nod of approval, we have to say we've never been there. We wish we had as it sounds like one of those bars that makes you want to go hang out in and never leave. From descriptions of it, it sounds like a divey, neighborhood bar made up to look like an old fashion Inn and hosting many icons of a yesteryear San Francisco. How could it not be anything but a fabulous place? SFist would also like to say that we've lived here long enough to see many a bar come and go (R.I.P. Dr. Bombay's-- we still miss you) and think nothing is sadder than a cozy watering hole going away.
If anything, it's worth trying to save if only to keep one more dive bar in a city increasingly awash in high end cocktail bars frequented by twenty something yupsters drinking mojitos to give them a false sense of decadent sophistication.
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I LOVE the Barleycorn. The website is a good method, but there's got to be a better way to save this... I think a rally/protest at the landlord's location might be best.
Could we get an eviction defense lawyer on the case? Just Cause doesn't really apply to businesses, but it might be able to be made...
Frontroom Pizza (next door) is being forced to close, as well.
That last part cracked me up because it is so true. Those high end bars make a mockery out of cocktails and drinking in general. But you forgot to mention the snobs who drink Grey Goose vodka religiously.
I hope they let the Barleycorn stay.
I think we gays should have a big benefit night for the bar and call it John Barleycornholer.
Not that a benefit would help them much---they need a good lawyer, not money.
Does anybody know why the building was sold in the first place?
I'll miss the Front Room, but the Barleycorn? "Fabulous"? Are we talking about the same place?
This is a fun bar, and the interior is really something. It's very much a "neighborhood" place, in a part of town that is NOT a destination for out of towners or people from other parts of the city. People do NOT come from Marin County, Burlingame, or Hipster Doofusville to hang out in this part of California Avenue.
So putting in some lame half assed Italian joint or some shitty upscale bar that sucks won't rake in the money the way such a place would in say, The Marina. It's just another example of lame landlords thinking they'll be making more money when they won't. OH BTW, all of the units in the apartments upstairs are totally rent controlled with tenants who've been there 30+ years. Guess how much rent THEY'RE paying.
All in all a bad move but hey - SF is full of people screwing up what's left of what's good for a quick buck. In 10 years you'll have a nice dull suburbia by the bay...enjoy!
Reminds me of two family-owned businesses in the Mission that closed down in 2003 (approx.) after greedy landlords jacked up their rent.
Golden Crust Pies (24th st. near Capp St.) and a dry cleaning place near Carlos Bar had been in the neighborhood for several years (since the late 70s or early 80s) but they were priced out. The spaces occupied by these businesses have remained vacant for several years.
Front Room pizza is supposedly moving down California and remaining in the same block (according to one of the waitresses). I can't imagine where they would go, there are no vacancies in that block nor are there places big enough to put a comfortable pizza parlor like Front Room is.
There's a few storefront vacancies up near California & Hyde streets, though.
I live only a few blocks away from Barleycorn, but never set foot in there. I wonder why the building's landlord is doing this now? The whole area feels like a retail/restaurant pit, so I couldn't imagine the landlord believing he can get more money out of a new tenant?
Obvious headline: "John Barleycorn Must Not Die"
Front Room is moving into the space where the short-lived Fierro en Guerra cafe was. its not really a building - more of a heated alley.
i'm endlessly sad about John Barleycorn…
Hey all,
Just thought you should know that there *are* going to be events that will be publicized to get the new landlady's attention and force her hand to negotiate a new lease. Check back frequently on the website given in the above article or drop by the bar for the latest news. While signatures are being gathered right now, that is certainly not the only action that will be taken--I think we all know how far simple petitions alone get any of us! If you want to take action, there will definitely be things for you to do. And of course, if you wanted to drop the new owner, Ms. Luisa Hanson (of Luisa's fame/notoriety), a line about how you feel, then I'm certainly no one to stop you.
Here's the first event: this Thursday, March 8, the SF Appreciation Society is hosting a reception and ceremony at 7:30 PM at the Barleycorn. Supervisor Aaron Peskin and ex-Mayor Willie Brown will be there. Further details at:
http://www.socializr.com/event/824057112