The Stud Will Reopen in a New Location in Early 2024

The Stud is reopening in San Francisco.

The legendary queer bar, founded in 1966 and closed for the past three years, will reopen in SOMA just three blocks from its previous location. Occupying two adjoining buildings at 1123-1125 Folsom Street, the Stud is projected to open its doors in early 2024.

At a press conference Tuesday morning, drag performers, politicians and members of the Stud’s ownership collective spoke of how the historic LGBTQ+ venue’s second act will bolster San Francisco’s post-pandemic recovery.

“We looked long and hard to find a place that was worthy of the Stud’s legacy — a place that could bring us all together. A place that would be at the heart of our queer community. And a place where we could also make a difference,” said Stud co-owner Honey Mahogany, who began her career as a drag performer before entering politics.

Now the San Francisco Democratic Party chair, Mahogany led Tuesday’s press conference in pink, puffy sleeves and a Beyoncé-esque blond wig, flanked by Mayor London Breed, Senator Scott Wiener and San Francisco Drag Laureate and Oasis nightclub owner D’Arcy Drollinger.

“We all have heard the stories of the doom loop,” Mahogany continued, referencing news coverage focused on San Francisco’s homelessness and drug addiction crises. “South of Market, the mid-Market area has been really, really negatively impacted by the pandemic. And let’s be real, it’s always struggled a bit. But now this is an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to rebuild and build back better.”

The Stud, a designated San Francisco Legacy Business, has a rich six-decade history. It was one of the first gay bars that welcomed women; it nurtured hippie, punk and alternative subcultures; and it fostered the careers of boundary-pushing drag performers like the late Heklina, who began her Trannyshack party there in the 1990s.

The Stud’s ownership collective, comprised of over a dozen artists and activists, decided to close the glitter-curtained doors in May 2020, when COVID-19 shutdowns had brought nightlife to a halt — but vowed to one day return.

The Stud will take over two connected buildings that together constitute twice the size of its previous space. “It has twice as many bathrooms. Anyone who got stuck in the bottleneck of the bathroom line at the old Stud will be rejoicing at that news,” said Rachel Ryan, president of the ownership collective, to whoops from the crowd.

Ryan also announced that, while closing the old location, the owners discovered “treasure troves” of historical photos and ephemera — including original artwork and even Etta James’ performance contract — that will be displayed in the new building.

The Stud collective is currently crowdfunding $500,000 for renovations that include a dressing room for performers, DJ booths and a top-shelf sound system. At the press conference, Mahogany discussed the high costs of rezoning and permitting in San Francisco.

“While I believe in the power of a collective, the thing is, we’re not all rich,” she said. “We are just everyday people who care a lot about our community, our neighborhood, and this bar. So we’re going to need everybody’s help to contribute to help us raise the funds.”

In her speech, Mayor Breed acknowledged that red tape makes doing business in San Francisco complicated and costly, and pledged to waive as many city fees as possible for the Stud.

“We have to do everything we can to get out of the way of small businesses,” she said. “Especially nightlife, which is an important part of not just our economic recovery, but our ability to have fun in San Francisco. We have to bring back the fun in our city, and nothing says fun like dancing the night away.”

Senator Wiener reminded the audience of San Francisco’s historical resilience, referencing how the city survived the assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and openly gay Supervisor Harvey Milk, and rallied mutual aid during the devastation of the AIDS epidemic.

Along with nightlife’s role in pandemic recovery, Wiener said, “it’s always been at the heart of San Francisco culture and our economy. And for a long time, San Francisco viewed nightlife as a problem to be managed.”

“San Francisco would not be San Francisco without nightlife,” he continued, “and it wouldn’t be San Francisco without the queer nightlife.”

Follow the Stud’s reopening updates on its crowdfunding campaign.