Many in the LGBT community lamented the closing of The Eagle Tavern last spring. The legendary, decades-old leather bar and Sunday beer-bust venue became the subject of some inflammatory reports that the property owners had tried to push the gay bar out in order to bring a straight bar in, a rumor which did not turn out to hold water. Now the Chron reports that the SoMa bar is up for lease for $15,000/month, and Grub Street finds this photo of the bar in the process of a sterile-looking remodel, stripped of its former character which included old license plates on the walls, dim lights, and a pool table at the rear. Reactions to the photo on Facebook have ranged from “I think i just puked a little,” to “My memories have been raped by a poorly designed condo kitchen.”
The photo was grabbed by CJ Gibson and disseminated by Glendon Hyde, a.k.a. former Supervisor candidate Anna Conda, who originally sounded the alarm about the closing being a heterosexist conspiracy but later recanted and suggested that the bar had closed primarily for financial reasons — the owners had allegedly gotten themselves into debt with the remodel of their other business, The Hole in the Wall, and let go of their less profitable property, The Eagle.
The photo appears to show some prospective new tenants checking out the space, and rumors have abounded that the Eagle would eventually reopen under new management. It’s clear that the bar area won’t be the same as before — and the previous owners likely made off with the memorabilia — however it appears the well loved patio is so far unchanged.
A sneak peek inside the former Eagle Tavern [Facebook]
Prospect lures chef L’Hommedieu from Mina Group [Chron - last item]
