Nosy Neighbor Shuts Down Important Music Nightclub

Slim's is a long-running and important music venue in San Francisco's South of Market district. It was opened by musician and bar owner Boz Skaggs in the 1980's and has hosted every important musical act on their way up. Apparently one complaint from a nosy neighbor was enough to shut down the club temporarily. The same thing has happened for years with gay bars like the Hole In The Wall, the My Place and the Eagle. Below is the link to the story and my letter to the cunt who started it.

Slim's Shut Down Because of Neighbor Complaint - Amoeba Blog

March 22, 2011
Jeanmarie Guenot
45 Jupiter #3
San Francisco, CA 94103

Dear Jeanmarie,

I understand that you are responsible for the temporary closing of Slim's. I am writing to encourage you to stop your selfish campaign against nightlife in SOMA.

I have lived in San Francisco for 30 years, and 10 of those years have been right here in SOMA. The reason why I chose to buy a home in this neighborhood is specifically because of the active nightlife. I paid $800,000 for a house that is essentially similar to a single-wide mobile home. I pay almost $10,000 in property taxes every year to live in this neighborhood. That may sound crazy, but in real estate, it's all about location, location, location.

Why do I make so many sacrifices to live in this expensive and challenging neighborhood? Because there are so few places in this world that have the kind of energy and creative spirit you find here. Except for very few unique places in the world like SOMA, the entire rest of the world is designated as "kid friendly" or "quiet and restful". I am an adult and I like to do adult things. I do not want to live in a "kid friendly" neighborhood, nor do I want to live in a bland retirement village.

I live a few steps from the End Up on one side, 1015 Folsom on the other, and an Elementary school in between. I work at home all day, and I can attest that the noise from the school far exceeds any nightclub in this city. I would much prefer a nightclub next to me than a school.

Slims is a professionally managed, long-running, successful and vitally important music venue in an era when the number of places to hear live music has dwindled significantly. What possible benefit to yourself or the community could you derive from actively pursuing the demise of nightclub that has become such an institution?

Were you so naive that you didn't know SOMA was an entertainment center before you moved here? What exactly did you think this neighborhood was when you moved here? If noise from nightclubs bothers you, I would suggest that your efforts are better directed at moving yourself to a quieter place far from San Francisco. If you persist in antagonizing the entertainment business in SOMA, you better be ready for battle. We know where you live.

Sincerely,

Mark Kliem