Big news breaking this evening regarding the battle to save the arguably historic, unarguably boozy Gold Dust Lounge (247 Powell Street) on Union Square. According to SFist, via SF Sentinel and a source close to the bar, the business will be closing Wednesday evening and relocating to an undisclosed location at Fisherman’s Wharf within the next four months.* The location will be revealed at a press conference Wednesday morning, as will some more details. This revelation ends five months of speculation, city intervention, and landlord-tenant squabbles that brought lawsuits from both sides, including one from Gold Dust owners Jimmy and Tasios Bovis alleging, among other things, elder abuse.
We’ll update you as soon as we hear more on this, but needless to say this isn’t a victory for the Bovises since they will have to abandon their storied location and all it represents. And it’s a loss for Union Square, too, where old bars with character like this one are a dying breed.
The Bovises continue to operate Lefty O’Doul’s around the corner, which is in the same building, the Handlery Hotel. Hotel owner John Handlery has signed a lease for the Gold Dust space to be used as an entrance for a new Express retail outlet.
Update: The Scoop talks to the Bovises’ spokesperson Lee Housekeeper who says the deal for the Wharf space isn’t yet finalized, but they’re still going ahead with the press conference. Also, they’re closing Wednesday night, May 23. [Scoop]
Gold Dust Lounge Moving to Fisherman’s Wharf! [SFist]
The Gold Dust Lounge in San Francisco is History: Tourist Bar to Move to Fisherman’s Wharf [SF Sentinel]
Earlier: Take a Tour of the Historic Gold Dust Lounge (While You Still Can)
