Mother's Saloon in OB is closing its doors

"We are saying goodbye to an incredible chapter in our live," posted Mother's Saloon operator Colin Wickersheim online today. "It is with much reservation and sadness that we are forced to shut our doors permanently. My wife [Shelby] and I have worked tirelessly over the last nine months to secure a lease with the landlord. We have had to make some very hard phone calls today to our wonderful staff. Thank you for all your hard work, dedication, and long nights. We will miss all of you."

In the 1960s, the venue at 2228 Bacon Street hosted burlesque clubs such as the Red Garter and the G Lounge. The owner of the property and the building, realtor Sachiko Swall, later opened a live music venue and nightclub at the locale called Dream Street, which operated for nearly two decades. Bands who took the Dream Street stage included Korn (whose appearance there reportedly earned them a record deal), Sublime (whose lead singer "discovered" and signed local stars Slightly Stoopid to his label after playing Dream Street in 1993), Hole, the Deftones, the Melvins, and Candlebox. Dream Street's latter-day owner Billy Savino announced its closure at the beginning of January, 2011.

The owner of Canvas Hair Studio on Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach, Shelby Wickersheim, assumed the business and its unrestricted liquor license (dancing, live music, liquor pours until 2 a.m.), rechristening the club Mother's. The purchase did not include the land or building title. She and her husband Colin, who owned a silk-screening and embroidery shop in Mira Mesa at the time, spent an estimated $200,000 renovating of the Bacon Street building, including a kitchen addition.

Mother's quickly became home base to a wide array of local bands, especially island-vibe acts and ska groups. Headline acts to play the club included Steve Miller guitarist Greg Douglass, a reformed Bay City Rollers, Superunloader, and OB faves the Brothers Gow.

"We would like to give a very big heartfelt Thank You to all the Mother's regulars and Ocean Beach locals who embraced and supported us for almost a decade," say the Wickersheims. "All the memories and friendships that we have made makes this even harder. It’s been an honor being your neighborhood bar and an experience we will never forget."