Save The Silverlake Lounge
Donation protected
Please help Save The Silverlake Lounge!!
Like many other small local businesses, The Silverlake Lounge is in dire need of assistance to stay alive during this pandemic. We have been closed since March 2020 following local ordinance due to Covid 19, and have been unable to qualify for federal PPP/EIDL assistance, because of the timing of when we took over this historic venue in late February 2020 just weeks before the pandemic took hold here in Los Angeles. As partners, Zach and I continue to believe that there are great things on the other side of all of this!
A little back story:
The Silverlake Lounge is one of the oldest drinking establishments on LA’s eastside, serving the community as a nightlife venue in some capacity since at least 1938. The bar has also had a long and celebrated history with the Latinx LGBT community and Indie Music Scene that continues to this day. Settling into its current iteration around 1975, it was an early stage for drag and gay cabaret. In the early 2000s we gained notoriety as one of the central hubs and incubators for the blossoming indie music scene. Bands like Rilo Kiley, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and resident band, The Silversun Pickups all had starts on our stage. That intermingling of the two subcultures has created an invaluable mixed crowd, safe space for the Los Angeles Queer BIPOC community and is one of the few properties left that serves the whole of its community.
We were able to acquire the business in early February for the previous owner of 30 years. He originally worked as a bar back there, until eventually buying the business 30 years ago, and it was the only job that he every had. He had seen the lounge through its heyday but with passions fleeting it was time to move on. Looking to retire, he reached out to us to breath new life into this aging legacy. He chose not to sell to some of the big corporate booking companies (Goldenvoice, Live Nation, etc), because of our local success and respect with Tabula Rasa Bar, our sister property. Nicole, Zach and I worked tirelessly and swiftly to transition without a major lull in service. Because of the timing of the transfer we were only open for 2 weeks before shuttering like many other local businesses. With investing money wrapped into updating and training staff, we are now in danger of loosing all of the work that we have put into it. All funds raised will go directly to current and back rents, insurance, utilities, and equipment for setting up service and bringing back our staff, under restrictions when we are allowed to re-open.
Our continued mission is to produce nightly entertainment that presents independent, alternative, emerging artist to greater Los Angeles and travelers, while also remaining a local watering hole for the East Side neighborhood. We feature line ups that represent the color and diversity of our community, are an LGBTQ+ safe space and destination, and feature non-english speaking acts. . Until March, we featured indie and urban lineups, punk, country and folk artists sets, singer/songwriter showcases, weekend drag cabaret, open mic afternoons, and just expanded our DJ program and set up. We are committed to our community and have had to delay a heavily sponsored fundraiser, with all proceeds going to local BIPOC programs in our neighborhood and voter registration sign up and are committed to seeing this fundraiser through. As an LGBT, Latinx Creative, I know the immense importance, value and necessity of venues like ours and hope you do too.
We appreciate any and all support and contributions!
PLEASE SHARE!
#SmallBusinessRelief #savequeervenues #silverlake #silverlakelounge #thesilverlakelounge #echopark #hollywood #frogtown #highlandpark #eaglerock #losfeliz #glendale #losangeles #westhollywood #socal #music #concert #indie #indiemusic #independentartist #niva #gofundme #linkinbio #livemusic
Stay Well,
Steven
Like many other small local businesses, The Silverlake Lounge is in dire need of assistance to stay alive during this pandemic. We have been closed since March 2020 following local ordinance due to Covid 19, and have been unable to qualify for federal PPP/EIDL assistance, because of the timing of when we took over this historic venue in late February 2020 just weeks before the pandemic took hold here in Los Angeles. As partners, Zach and I continue to believe that there are great things on the other side of all of this!
A little back story:
The Silverlake Lounge is one of the oldest drinking establishments on LA’s eastside, serving the community as a nightlife venue in some capacity since at least 1938. The bar has also had a long and celebrated history with the Latinx LGBT community and Indie Music Scene that continues to this day. Settling into its current iteration around 1975, it was an early stage for drag and gay cabaret. In the early 2000s we gained notoriety as one of the central hubs and incubators for the blossoming indie music scene. Bands like Rilo Kiley, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and resident band, The Silversun Pickups all had starts on our stage. That intermingling of the two subcultures has created an invaluable mixed crowd, safe space for the Los Angeles Queer BIPOC community and is one of the few properties left that serves the whole of its community.
We were able to acquire the business in early February for the previous owner of 30 years. He originally worked as a bar back there, until eventually buying the business 30 years ago, and it was the only job that he every had. He had seen the lounge through its heyday but with passions fleeting it was time to move on. Looking to retire, he reached out to us to breath new life into this aging legacy. He chose not to sell to some of the big corporate booking companies (Goldenvoice, Live Nation, etc), because of our local success and respect with Tabula Rasa Bar, our sister property. Nicole, Zach and I worked tirelessly and swiftly to transition without a major lull in service. Because of the timing of the transfer we were only open for 2 weeks before shuttering like many other local businesses. With investing money wrapped into updating and training staff, we are now in danger of loosing all of the work that we have put into it. All funds raised will go directly to current and back rents, insurance, utilities, and equipment for setting up service and bringing back our staff, under restrictions when we are allowed to re-open.
Our continued mission is to produce nightly entertainment that presents independent, alternative, emerging artist to greater Los Angeles and travelers, while also remaining a local watering hole for the East Side neighborhood. We feature line ups that represent the color and diversity of our community, are an LGBTQ+ safe space and destination, and feature non-english speaking acts. . Until March, we featured indie and urban lineups, punk, country and folk artists sets, singer/songwriter showcases, weekend drag cabaret, open mic afternoons, and just expanded our DJ program and set up. We are committed to our community and have had to delay a heavily sponsored fundraiser, with all proceeds going to local BIPOC programs in our neighborhood and voter registration sign up and are committed to seeing this fundraiser through. As an LGBT, Latinx Creative, I know the immense importance, value and necessity of venues like ours and hope you do too.
We appreciate any and all support and contributions!
PLEASE SHARE!
#SmallBusinessRelief #savequeervenues #silverlake #silverlakelounge #thesilverlakelounge #echopark #hollywood #frogtown #highlandpark #eaglerock #losfeliz #glendale #losangeles #westhollywood #socal #music #concert #indie #indiemusic #independentartist #niva #gofundme #linkinbio #livemusic
Stay Well,
Steven
Organizer and beneficiary
Steven Acosta
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
Zach Negin
Beneficiary