SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — After months of mourning its impending closure, there was a celebration Friday night at San Francisco’s Oasis drag cabaret in the wake of a multi-million dollar donation to keep the doors open.
“It sounds like a cliche, but it’s actually really like a nice little Christmas miracle for the community,” said Abraham, a San Francisco resident.
ORIGINAL STORY: SF’s iconic LGBTQ+ nightclub Oasis to close its doors: Here’s how legacy will continue
“Since I moved here 8 months ago this has been one of the most welcoming and affirming places with the best show, so this is everything, this is great news,” said Garret Esparza.
The club was set for one final show on New Year’s Eve. “It’s a week out before we were supposed to close and suddenly there’s a new lease on life, and it’s one of those things you would see in a movie and not really believe it, but it actually happened,” said D’Arcy Drollinger, the owner of Oasis.
The donation comes from Mark and Mary Stevens, a couple known for their philanthropy.
“I hope that the Stevens family can really– it’s going to make me cry– that they can realize how important this is and how many lives are getting changed by this act of kindness and generosity,” said Drollinger.
The money will go to the club’s partnering nonprofit, Oasis Arts ,which supports all the programming.
MORE: San Francisco names Oasis owner D’Arcy Drollinger as 1st Drag Laureate
“What this allows us to do is buy the building and do some renovations,” said Drollinger. “We will be closed for some months and then reopen. Bigger and stronger, I hope. Than than we’ve been before.”
“I’m really glad that I don’t have to say goodbye forever to the place and I hope it keeps supporting artists because that’s what Oasis is,” said Meesha Jones, who has been bartending at Oasis for almost its entire tenure; ten years in and grateful she doesn’t have to look back.
“This place is my family. It’s literally my family. I mean, I still have plans to be a little old lady here serving up drinks.”
Oasis will begin its temporary closure after the New Year’s Eve show.
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