Bruno's nightclub set to reopen on Mission Street after six-year closure
Rule Changes San Francisco, CA localA new state music-venue liquor license and a new owner end a six-year vacancy
2 days ago: Reopening announced for September 12New here? Follow stories to track developments over time. Create a free account to get updates when stories you care about change.
Overview
Updated 1 hour agoFor six years, the nightclub at 2389 Mission Street sat boarded up behind plywood and graffiti. On September 12, Bruno's reopens, six years after going dark in the first weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown.
The path back ran through a state law, not just a change of heart. California's 2022 SB 793 created the Type 90 music-venue license, which lets live performance spaces sell alcohol without a full restaurant kitchen. That sidesteps the Mission's restricted district, where buying an existing nightclub license runs about $250,000.
Two earlier reopening announcements, in 2023 and February 2024, fell through. Whether this one sticks depends on the soft-opening crowds and the club's first full month of business.
Why it matters
A new state music-venue liquor license ended a six-year vacancy on Mission Street and could unlock other shuttered San Francisco nightlife spots.
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People Involved
Organizations Involved
The state agency that issues liquor licenses, including the Type 90 music-venue license Bruno's will use.
San Francisco's city council; its February 2024 resolution pushed the state to issue Bruno's a liquor license.
Trade group for San Francisco bar and nightlife owners.
Timeline
March 2020 September 2026
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Soft opening with local DJs
Upcoming OpeningDJ REZA and DJ Ibarra play the first night; weekend test runs continue through September.
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Reopening announced for September 12
Latest AnnouncementMission Local reports Bruno's will reopen under new owner Noelle Calixto with a soft opening.
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'Done deal' forecast misses
AnnouncementConsultant says Bruno's could reopen within a month. The bar stays shuttered through 2025.
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Board backs Bruno's liquor license
ResolutionBoard of Supervisors passes a resolution recommending the state issue Bruno's a new liquor license.
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First reopening announcement
AnnouncementMission Local reports Bruno's may reopen that year; former owner George Karas blames city permit delays.
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California creates Type 90 license
LegislationSB 793 establishes the music-venue license, letting live performance spaces sell alcohol without a full kitchen.
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Bruno's closes at pandemic's start
ClosureThe nightclub shuts down with the city's COVID-19 lockdown and never reopens on time.
Historical Context
2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
The Stud's community rescue (2016–2021)
The Stud, San Francisco's legendary queer bar founded in 1966, nearly closed in 2016 when its building went up for sale. A group of regulars formed a co-op, raised money, and took ownership of the bar itself.
The Stud reopened at a new SoMa location under community ownership in 2021.
It became a model for saving beloved nightlife institutions by changing who runs them, not just the building.
Like The Stud, Bruno's survived because its operators changed. Where The Stud used a community co-op, Bruno's used a hospitality owner and a new license category.
The Elbo Room closes for good (2019)
The Elbo Room, a beloved Mission District music venue at 647 Valencia Street, closed on New Year's Eve 2019 after the building was sold. The new owner planned to redevelop the property, ending the venue's 29-year run.
The venue's famous mural came down and the space sat empty, a loss mourned by musicians and locals.
It never reopened, and its closure became a symbol of rising rents squeezing San Francisco nightlife.
Bruno's nearly met the same end. A new owner and a state licensing fix gave it a path back that the Elbo Room never had.
