July saw the closures of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage (2258 Market), Destino Latin Bar & Pisco Lounge (1815 Market), Nizario's Pizza (4077 18th) and smoke shop Puff 'n Stuff (504 Castro). The closure of Badlands puts the total number of permanent Castro business closures during shelter-in-place at 14. He also owns two other long-vacant Castro properties: 4144 18th St., a onetime dry cleaners which has sat empty since a pop-up furniture store moved out in 2018, and 541 Castro St., which has been vacant since the 2014 closure of Under One Roof. In addition to the two bars, Natali owns Hamburger Mary’s, which opened in 2018 after its Natali-owned space (formerly the Patio) sat vacant for nearly two decades. In recent years Q Bar (451 Castro) has emerged as bar catering towards the QTPOC community. But the Pendulum ultimately never reopened, with the space reemerging four years later as Toad Hall.Īs a result, the Castro lost its only bar catering to Black gay men at the time. Ultimately, the sale went through, the Pendulum was closed for repairs, and Natali reached a confidential settlement with the complainants in 2006. The California Department of Alcoholic and Beverage Control (ABC) conducted its own investigation in 2005, but it was unable to substantiate the allegations and closed the investigation a month later.
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In response, a group of eight complainants alleged that Natali had discriminated against Black employees and customers at Badlands.Ī 10-month investigation by the city's Human Rights Commission ultimately concluded that Badlands “required multiple forms of identification from some Black customers, used discriminatory hiring practices, applied a dress code only to Black patrons, and denied entry using other policies rarely applied to whites." In 2004, Natali sought to purchase the Toad Hall space - then home to the Pendulum, a bar that largely catered to Black LGBTQ+ people. Natali purchased Badlands in 1999, and after a brief closure for a remodel, it reopened in 2000 as a dance club.
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According to SF Gay History, “the bar had a rustic, almost honky-tonk vibe" by the late 1980s, "with automobile license plates from every state decorating the walls and several pool tables." | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodlineīadlands originally opened as Watergate West in 1973, changing its moniker in 1975.
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Toad Hall remains closed, despite promises in early July that it would reopen for outdoor dining. According to a July 7 Facebook post, Toad Hall planned to reopen with outdoor food and drinks, but it has yet to do so or announce a date.
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Natali also owns Toad Hall (4146 18th St.), which is directly across the street from Badlands. It’s unclear if Natali is selling the bar outright, or if he will continue to own it under a new concept and management group. Public records indicate a liquor license transfer has yet to be initiated, and a new owner has not been announced. While many bars in the neighborhood have teamed up with neighboring restaurants to offer outdoor dining, Badlands never did so.
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| Photo: Ray Everett/ Instagramīadlands has been closed since shelter-in-place restrictions went into effect on March 17. Badlands' dance floor, prior to its closure. Hoodline reached out to Natali for more details, but did not receive a response. The closure was first reported by the Bay Area Reporter. “Later this fall, a new bar, under new ownership, will open in the Badlands location," owner Les Natali wrote on Facebook. “The name of the new bar and other details will be announced later, closer to the opening date." After 45 years, Castro video bar Badlands (4121 18th St.) has announced its permanent closure.