Nooooo. The California Pacific Medical Center's dastardly plan to build a new "$1.7 billion, 555-bed acute and women and children's care hospital" at the corner of Van Ness and Geary will result in the death of Koko Cocktails. (A bar we admire so much, we shared it with Bold Italic last year.) Granted, this isn't breaking news. The bar owners knew about the hospital expansion when they signed their lease three years ago. But still. We'll be sad to see it go.
On the brighter side, Eater's Carolyn Alburger has word that KoKo's new space will open just around the corner.
Owners Chris Keith, Lori Martens and Justin Mulford knew the end was coming when they signed their lease three years ago, but the CPMC is expediting the settlement to get Koko to move out, possibly as soon as August. Koko hired a lawyer to help them get more out of the deal; and CPMC has agreed to pay for part of the build-out at their new space. This brings us to Hi Lo Club, a new bar coming together for a hopeful opening later this year at 1423 Polk Street, where Java Chez Moi currently sits.
In the meantime, be sure to visit what we consider one of the finest bars in all the Bay Area. KoKo Cocktails,1060 Geary, 5pm-2am, 415-885-4788.
UPDATE: According to one of KoKo Cocktail's owners, the bar is not scheduled to close in August. In fact, there's no estimated date of when they'll close ther Geary location. (Hopefully, never!)