Though bars seem to be constantly opening and closing in New York, SF’s scene tends to be more stable, with certain monthly parties coming and going but the handful of mainstay bars remaining mostly unchanged. A new piece in the Bay Area Reporter catalogues all the changes afoot in these first months of ’09.

In summary:

The Bar on Castro closing, new bar re-opening in its place by February

Owner Greg Bronstein lost his lease, and the new leaseholders include Tim Eicher and Rob Giljum, owners of the Rainbow Cattle Company bar in Guerneville. The new bar, set to open by February, has not yet announced its new name. Contrary to the BAR report, popular Wednesday party Booty Call, hosted by Juanita More! and Joshua J will not be relocating, and will remain at the location after a two-week hiatus.

Transfer space to re-open as The Bar on Church

Several of the hipper events in town that were regularly hosted at The Transfer (Church and 14th), like Chilidog and Frisco Disco, had to end due to owner Greg Bronstein deciding to close and remodel that space. It’s now becoming The Bar on Church, just so that everyone can still keep saying “B.O.C.”–that abbreviation, we suppose, being vital to brand identity. The “Inaugural Launch” of the new bar will be on Tuesday, January 20, with an open bar before 11PM.

The Men’s Room changes hands, to become Last Call

Kevin Harrington has purchased one of our favorite cozy birthday venues, The Men’s Room on 18th Street, and is changing its name to Last Call. We hope that the miniature ski-lodge quality we love so much is not lost in the remodel.

Jet to lose name, re-open in expanded place as dance club

Greg Bronstein, who once owned 7 businesses in the Castro, has now whittled that down to 3–The Bar on Church, Lime (which, judging by the miserable and miserably small crowds on weekends is probably closing any minute), and Jet (a.k.a. the former Detour, see our Porn Location Map). We never cared for Jet and its seizure-inducing wall of blinking bulbs, and its branding with that name that also belongs to an undersize African-American magazine must not have been working as Bronstein is looking for a new name for the space. It’s set to open in mid-February, and it should have a decent-sized dancefloor.

The New Metro/Expansion to get new identity

The owners of the Metro lost their biggest draw–that second story space with the deck at Noe and Market–when they left their old location, and moved to the new, un-remodeled bar at the former Expansion space, which was basically dead on arrival. New owners Doug Murphy of Moby Dick and Shawn Vergara, are planning to rename and spruce up the place soon.

Toad Hall possibly never going to open

Something–either a battle over a liquor license or financial difficulties–has kept the opening of Toad Hall (4146 18th St) indefinitely delayed. The former Pendulum space across from the Sadlands that has had a new Toad Hall sign for the better part of a year, but owner Les Natali (who also owns the Sadlands and faced significant criticism in recent years over an allegedly racist door policy) has reportedly partnered with the owner of the Mix to prepare for opening Toad Hall. No date has been announced.

Last year saw the deaths of several parties around town, including Chilidog, Big Top, Lucky Pierre, and Trans Am, along with the Tuesday institution of Trannyshack, so we hope promoters start stepping up to the plate and giving all the unemployed fags someplace to get wasted in 2009.

GENRE Magazine to SF: You’re Chopped Liver
The Sword Tour of San Francisco Gay Porn Locations
SF’s Booty Call Celebrates 1st Year With Calendar
Gay Bars Dying Across Country? Not In San Francisco.

New year bring Castro bar changes (Bay Area Reporter)