San Francisco Punks Mourn Thee Parkside, a 'Safe Haven' | KQED

"So many years later it's been a central part of my life, my friend group, my family. Between tours with his band M.U.T.T., he got evicted. Spanyol offered the green room atop the bar, and he lived there well into COVID."

"It's been an insane 19 years for me. It has been so wild. I appreciate what Thee Parkside has given me for fucking 19 years. It has been so much fun. It has been such hard work, but it has paid off in so many ways."

"The core [of Thee Parkside] has always been the same. Malia has owned the bar for close to 20 years, and you can't own a place that long without it becoming an extension of yourself. It was a place where people could be - it sounds so cheesy - but a place where people could be themsel"

Thee Parkside, a small red building at 17th and Wisconsin Streets in San Francisco, will permanently close after 26 years as a cornerstone of the punk and underground music scene. Owner Malia Spanyol has operated the venue for nearly 20 years, creating a space where musicians and regulars formed deep personal connections. The bar provided crucial support to artists, including housing band members during difficult times. Throughout March 2025, live music performances continue before the final closure. Staff and musicians express profound gratitude for the venue's role in their lives, describing it as a second home and central gathering place that fostered authentic community and artistic expression.

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