The Pearl Saga “Just Gets Messier by the Day”

The past week has been an emotional rollercoaster for anyone who remembers the Mercury Cafe or was a fan of The Pearl, the lesbian bar that leased the iconic space at 2199 California Street a year ago.

The Pearl’s April 11 announcement that it could not meet payroll and would be closing this month sent people on a fast downward spiral that quickly began looking up when the community raised more than $83,000 via GoFundMe to save the business. And for a day, it seemed that The Pearl would be able to keep operating.

But in an unexpected twist, Pearl employees then went on Instagram to say they “could not in good conscience” accept the funds with the knowledge that the business would likely tank again in a few months, and they urged people to report the GoFundMe. By April 14, Dom Garcia, one of the owners of The Pearl, had paused the GoFundMe, saying that donations would be refunded and The Pearl LLC was being dissolved.

On April 15, the City of Denver changed the locks at 2199 California Street and seized The Pearl’s property inside the building, citing more than $56,000 in unpaid property and occupational privilege taxes. The situation is still shaking out, with rumors abounding on the streets and the Westword Facebook posts regarding the action at 2199 Pearl Street. Says Maggie:

Amidst all of the drama, let’s remember the historic and cultural significance of this venue! Previously named the Mercury Cafe, this venue has uplifted thousands of artists for fifty-plus years. This is not just a venue, it is a home for culture and creativity. This space deserves to be protected into perpetuity.

Responds Julie:

This isn’t just not paying taxes. it is theft from every customer. Businesses collect sales taxes from customers and pass them on to the city and state. They were collecting sales taxes and keeping them. And they had payroll bounce. I’ve had a business, and the rule is you ALWAYS make sure you can fund payroll and taxes. if you cannot, you shut your doors.

Adds Steve:

I’m getting the impression management is not giving the whole story.

Wonders Chris:

Couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the rents and taxes in Denver being orders of magnitude more than what’s actually sustainable?

Laments Karen:

And another one bites the dust. Denver memories may still exist somewhere in the universe.

Comments Randall:

A decades-old space for poetry, art, dance, and community just closed. Somehow the loudest takeaway is a stream of lazy lesbian jokes. That tells you everything about who showed up in the comments…and who didn’t show up when it mattered. This place didn’t disappear because of who it served. It disappeared because keeping doors open takes support, not punchlines. Funny how people find their voice after something’s gone. But not their wallet when it was still there.

Concludes Alexz:

Man, this just gets messier by the day.

Did you ever go to The Pearl? What did you think of the place? Do you miss the Mercury? Post a comment or share your thoughts at editorial@westword.com.