Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Brick Bye Brick?

Another local music venue has its back against the wall

Could Saturday be the last show at Brick by Brick?

On Tuesday afternoon rumors started circulating that the venerable Bay Park nightspot was rescheduling some of its shows booked for February.

Tuesday evening Brick by Brick owner Max Paul confirmed that his venue would soon be “closed for remodeling.” He said specifics were being worked out about when the last live show would be (and that it may or may not be Saturday). He confirmed there had been discussions about moving some of the bigger February shows (Michael Schencker on the 14th; Lynch Mob on the 15th; Dio Disciples on the 22nd) to the Ramona Mainstage.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Things started looking bleak in December when the Alcohol Beverage Control Board suspended Brick's license for nonpayment of past sales tax to the state Board of Equalization. That was an indefinite suspension: Brick gets its license back as soon as it pays the B.O.E. what the B.O.E. says it is owed (insiders say the amount is tens of thousands of dollars).

The venue has been honoring its commitment to the live shows it has booked in December and January even though the bar has no booze. Brick patrons can go next door to grab a beer or a glass of wine at the adjacent Bulls BBQ, or they can walk around the block to grab a shot at the Griffin or other nearby bars.

Insiders say it must be difficult for Paul to keep the Brick afloat without liquor sales. His option includes paying the sales tax debt and reopen with a full bar, or, as some say is more likely, he could sell his 48 license and walk away. (A 48 license is sought after because food does not have to be served.)

Jon Mejia of American Liquor License Exchange in Glendale says a 48 license in San Diego would be worth in the $60,000 to $70,000 range.

Chris Haney was one of a trio of owners who in 1993 took over the bar formerly known as the Spirit and renamed it Brick by Brick (named after a 1990 Iggy Pop album).

“This is depressing,” says Haney who now owns the Rook Bar and has formerly owned Kadan and the Radio Room. “I remember we had Ronny James Dio, Ice T with Body Count, Suzanne Vega, and Blue Öyster Cult all in one month.” Haney sold his share in the bar in 1997. “It's tough to do live music right now. Last year we lost Anthology and 4th&B. Now this…”

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Bluefin still Missing In Action – Grunion for Bait during Observation Only? - Yellowtail Limits a Short Drive South

Santee Lakes Catfish Opener features Tagged Fish for Prizes

Could Saturday be the last show at Brick by Brick?

On Tuesday afternoon rumors started circulating that the venerable Bay Park nightspot was rescheduling some of its shows booked for February.

Tuesday evening Brick by Brick owner Max Paul confirmed that his venue would soon be “closed for remodeling.” He said specifics were being worked out about when the last live show would be (and that it may or may not be Saturday). He confirmed there had been discussions about moving some of the bigger February shows (Michael Schencker on the 14th; Lynch Mob on the 15th; Dio Disciples on the 22nd) to the Ramona Mainstage.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Things started looking bleak in December when the Alcohol Beverage Control Board suspended Brick's license for nonpayment of past sales tax to the state Board of Equalization. That was an indefinite suspension: Brick gets its license back as soon as it pays the B.O.E. what the B.O.E. says it is owed (insiders say the amount is tens of thousands of dollars).

The venue has been honoring its commitment to the live shows it has booked in December and January even though the bar has no booze. Brick patrons can go next door to grab a beer or a glass of wine at the adjacent Bulls BBQ, or they can walk around the block to grab a shot at the Griffin or other nearby bars.

Insiders say it must be difficult for Paul to keep the Brick afloat without liquor sales. His option includes paying the sales tax debt and reopen with a full bar, or, as some say is more likely, he could sell his 48 license and walk away. (A 48 license is sought after because food does not have to be served.)

Jon Mejia of American Liquor License Exchange in Glendale says a 48 license in San Diego would be worth in the $60,000 to $70,000 range.

Chris Haney was one of a trio of owners who in 1993 took over the bar formerly known as the Spirit and renamed it Brick by Brick (named after a 1990 Iggy Pop album).

“This is depressing,” says Haney who now owns the Rook Bar and has formerly owned Kadan and the Radio Room. “I remember we had Ronny James Dio, Ice T with Body Count, Suzanne Vega, and Blue Öyster Cult all in one month.” Haney sold his share in the bar in 1997. “It's tough to do live music right now. Last year we lost Anthology and 4th&B. Now this…”

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Deciduous trees sprouting new life, Bracken ferns pushing up their "fiddleheads"

Annual Lyriad shower might be washed out by full moon
Next Article

Fr. Robert Maldondo was qualified by the call

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church pastor tried to pull a Jonah
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.