Heritage Happy Hour: El Rio

Heritage Happy Hour: El Rio

Heritage Happy Hour is a convivial “no-host” gathering of heritage professionals, young preservationists, aficionados, friends, and Legacy Business cohorts interested in safeguarding San Francisco’s unique architectural and cultural identity. We get together on the Second Thursday of each month from 5-7 pm at a registered Legacy Business bar in San Francisco.

El Rio (https://www.elriosf.com) was founded in 1978 as a Brazilian leather gay bar and has been an anchor for the LGBTQ community in the Mission. Opened by Malcom Thornley and Robert Nett, El Rio was inspired by their leather motorcycle riding lifestyle and their love for Brazil, and they wanted to create a space that combined these interests in the form of a neighborhood bar mixed with a community center. Their intent was to develop a space of inclusivity, and they opened their doors to all in the community to gather, socialize, plan events, and unite.

El Rio has become a vital gather space for many individuals and groups in the neighborhood and throughout the city. It offers its space to local organizations for events and has also hosted its own popular events, from Salsa Sundays to Mango, a monthly dance tea party for queer women of color. The outdoor patio and garden with large lemon tree and community altar has become a significant aspect of the business as a community-oriented space and has played host to many events and fundraisers since opening.

El Rio was added to the Legacy Business Registry on November 13, 2017.

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San Francisco’s Legacy Business Program is the first-of-its-kind in the U.S. The program supports and promotes iconic, small businesses over 30 years in operation that are long-standing pillars of our communities and neighborhoods.

San Francisco Heritage (est. 1971), has protected the city in the face of rapid change by advocating for historic resources, hosting educational programming, and interpreting and preserving cultural heritage. The Legacy Business Program (est. 2015) provides marketing, business assistance, and specialized grants for local small businesses included on the Legacy Business Registry.