Christmas Miracle Donation Saves SF Oasis

In San Francisco, someone’s favorite somewhere is always closing shop for good. Particularly in COVID’s wake, too many memorable restaurants, pubs, cafes, clubs, bars, stores and more have permanently shuttered. The queer community took a direct hit to morale when Oasis announced they too would shut their doors forever. But just when the sun was about to set on the legendary drag venue, a veritable Christmas miracle occurred. 

On December 26th (Boxing Day for you weirdos), owner of Oasis D’Arcy Drollinger shared joyous news. The club had received a multimillion-dollar gift, enough to recoup lost revenue and secure renovations necessary to keep it around. Maybe most importantly, Drollinger can now purchase the building, doing away with that pesky $18,000 monthly rent. It’s a victory for queer performers near and far, and their audiences: Oasis is no longer going out of business! 

“At the eleventh hour, this came through,” Drollinger told the SF Standard. “It feels like a Hallmark movie.” The Chronicle was first to report on this story. 

“‘I am humbled that this is happening at this late stage,’ Drollinger said of the infusion of money, which was secured just days ago. ‘It’s a Christmas miracle moment that I only dreamed could happen.’” (SF Chronicle)

D’Arcy Drollinger opened Oasis in 2015. The club features famed drag talents like Coco Peru and Trixie Mattel while also providing a platform for local performers. From the scantily-clad all-male revue Baloney to Peaches Christ’s drag parody production Mommie Queerest and anything in between, Oasis can tickle your fancy. On some broken phone, photos of my partner and I with friends at Oasis for a 2019 show-off-your-BDSM-gear party exist. Fags and hags all over SF have queened out at 298 11th Street at least once. 

A proper queen, D’Arcy Drollinger did not disclose the dollar amount of this donation. Rather, she praised the benefactors, Mary and Mark Stevens, whose son Sky Stevens is a loyal Oasis patron.

"This allows us to…buy the building and do some renovations," Drollinger told ABC7. "We will be closed for some months and then reopen. Bigger and stronger, I hope, than we've been before." 

Oasis is true to its name. In the desert of gay male-centric San Francisco, this space embraces genderbenders across the spectrum, nourishing and encouraging true queerness. As when the original Stud closed, the anticipated loss of Oasis was especially crushing to queer performers. The role this club plays in our community is irreplaceable. 

Having worked at a busy Soma gay bar, I can tell you, queer venues have a tenuous relationship with staying open. Owners admit they “operate at a loss,” which, while sometimes exaggerated to make employees settle for less, is somewhat true. Once the party’s over, it takes a shit ton of money to keep the lights on. It takes the kind of energy few people are willing to lend to work at a gay bar/club, let alone manage one. Sometimes you work a party hardly busy enough to justify your presence, leaving with maybe $25 tops. Other times, you’re pulling double duty during Beer Bust because your coworker slept through his alarm. Then you clock out, back and spirit feeling broken but with $250 to show for it, and always the decision to never go back. But you do come back, against your better judgment even, because whether your boss actually is “doing it for the community,” real unabashed queer joy is a sight to behold. 

“It is amazing news to hear that Oasis will remain open,” local queen Juanita MORE told the SF Standard in an email. “There isn’t another venue like it in San Francisco, and it is home to many. The club has brought such a wide variety of queer entertainment to life.”