SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The Stud, one of San Francisco’s most iconic and long-serving LGBTQ+ venues is reopening in a new SoMa location to be officially announced Tuesday, according to a press release. The famous venue was closed three years ago due to the pandemic and has remained shuttered.
On Monday, the Stud Collective, a worker cooperative that owns the Stud, announced a planned unveiling for the venue’s new location and plans for its new place. The unveiling will take place at the storefront for the new place, located at 1123 Folsom Street, just a few blocks from the Stud’s former location at 399 9th Street.
Speakers lined up for the occasion include SF Mayor London Breed, California Assemblymember Matt Haney, State Senator Scott Weiner, Supervisors Matt Dorsey and Rafael Mandelman, and San Francisco Drag Laureate.
The Stud Collective President Rachel Ryan will also be present at the event, which will be hosted by Stud Collective member Honey Mahogony.
One of the oldest LGBTQ+ bars in the city, the Stud is also a world-renowned drag venue that first opened 57 years ago. The venue’s new location will be twice the size of its former location, according to a press release.
While the new location will feature two bars along with a new stage and sound system, the extensive collection of queer, historic memorabilia that was housed in the old location will be present at the new one.
“We kept everything,” said Stud Collective President Rachel Ryan. “When we cleared out the basement during our move, we found decades of queer San Francisco history stuffed in boxes and hidden under sheets. We’re working to make sure we bring back the same Stud that people love, but there are going to be a lot of cool new surprises—even some things that people haven’t seen for 50 years.”
While the Stud was historically known as an LGBTQ+ bar, its iconic status transcended that, and the bar often lived up to its painted motto of “everyone is welcome here.”
“The Stud’s reputation as a place where everyone could go and anything could happen made it a melting pot for all of San Francisco’s political and musical countercultures: hippies in the 60s, disco in the 70s, punk in the 80s, club kids in the 90s, and hipsters in the 2000’s. The venue became an inspiration to generations of musicians, artists, and activists both queer and straight, drawing huge crowds to its corner of the Leather District,” read an excerpt from the press release.
The Stud has also been long-associated with San Francisco’s drag scene. Many iconic drag performers have performed at the venue over the years, including Divine, Honey Mahogany, and the late Heklina.
The return of the Stud will be officially announced Tuesday at 10 a.m. and can be livestreamed here.
