EATER SF by Caleb Pershan
November 21, 2018

15-year-old music and events venue Mezzanine will close next year after its landlords declined to renew its lease at 444 Jessie Street (adjacent to Mint Plaza). While that news is just the latest blow to San Francisco’s nightlife scene, Mezzanine’s days aren’t yet over: It will remain open until October 2019, owners say.

Since 2003, the 12,000-square-foot Mezzanine has played host to performers including LCD Soundsystem, De La Soul, Lady Gaga, and Florence and the Machine. It boasts female ownership and an all-female booking team, a rarity in the male-dominated industry.

Colton Commerical & Partners, the buildings owners, plan to repurpose the downtown venue into office space, fetching as much as a 600 percent increase in rent (according to Mezzanine’s estimates). A co-owner of the building, David Chritton, tells KQED that the club’s rent has stayed the same for 20 years, and that the shift is “ just economics.”

In addition to live performances of pop, hip-hop, and electronic music, Mezzanine has hosted private events, dinners, art shows, and corporate receptions. It will continue to do so through its closure: Owners draw attention to an ambitious New Year’s Eve lineup and a 16th Anniversary celebration, now a “bittersweet 16,” with high-profile shows in April.

Check out the original article here: https://sf.eater.com/2018/11/21/18106659/sf-nightclub-mezzanine-closing-downtown-music-venue