Beloved San Francisco gay bar The Stud to reopen next year

Legendary San Francisco gay bar The Stud is set to reopen in 2024, more than three years since it was forced to close due to rent inflation.

The venue, said to be San Francisco's oldest gay bar, looks set to reopen by early 2024 at a new location in the South Market area, San Francisco Chronicle reports.

It follows efforts from campaign groups which were set up in order to save the venue after its permanent closure in May 2020, citing a sudden rent hike from $3,800 to $9,500 per month.

Read this next: 7 of the best parties in San Francisco

The venue will reopen with a 15-person team, the collective who now run The Stud, and will be located just three blocks from the original venue at 1123-1125 Folsom St. The two connected buildings are said to be the former homes of Julie’s Supper Club and the Trademark sports bar.

First opened in 1966, The Stud became a hub for San Francisco's queer community hosting drag shows, live performances, and club nights. Now 57 years old, it’s been dubbed one of the first and oldest cooperatively owned queer venues in the States.

A fundraiser has been set up to aid the building of the new venue urging the nightlife community to get involved with The Stud’s reopening, with a goal of hitting $500,000. It’s currently raised more than $45,000.

Read this next: Fundraiser to build a community-run gay bar hits £100,000 goal before deadline

Venue co-owner Marke Bieschke told Resident Advisor that they “intend to keep bringing cutting-edge artists to San Francisco — often for the first time — in an inclusive and freeform environment,” having previously hosted dance music acts including Ben UFO and rRoxymore.

“On a more national and global scale, as the backlash to queer and trans rights continues to threaten our very existence, we hope to shine as a beacon of community and love — not to mention outrageously fun drag and dancing — where LGBTQIA+ people can reach their full expression, find romance, and just be themselves without all the drama and emergency,” Bieschke told RA.

Help The Stud with renovations and necessary building work by donating to its fundraiser here.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter