After a two-year restoration, the storied Haight-Ashbury music room formerly known as Club Deluxe is set to light up again tonight under new ownership. Reborn as The DeLuxe, the venue at 1511 Haight Street returns with a rebuilt stage, upgraded sound system and refreshed bar, all geared toward reviving the neighborhood’s late-night music scene. The new team says they want it to feel like home both for longtime regulars and for a younger wave of musicians blending jazz with contemporary sounds.
According to NBC Bay Area, co-owners Christian Beaulieu and Jay Bordeleau approached the project as a kind of community rescue mission. During the renovation, workers uncovered artifacts in the walls that underscored the building’s layered history, and Bordeleau described himself as “the steward of the space,” saying the room “belongs more to the regulars and to the neighborhood than it does to me.” The owners hope the comeback helps jump-start a post-pandemic rebound for live music in the Haight.
City Approval And The Sound Plan
The new operators secured city approval for amplified live music until 2 AM seven nights a week, though co-owner Christian Beaulieu told SFist they do not plan to push the schedule that late every night. As part of the permit, the team agreed to add sound-absorbing baffling and make ADA upgrades to the restrooms in an effort to keep neighbors happy and noise contained. The license also allows all-ages shows, which opens the door to afternoon performances alongside the venue’s evening jazz sets.
From Closure To Comeback
Club Deluxe shut its doors in April 2023 after a long-running lease dispute that left the Haight without one of its best-known music rooms, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. The revival is being led by Beaulieu, a former Deluxe bartender, and Bordeleau, who also runs Mr. Tipple’s. Eater SF notes that the pair have also promoted a community investment campaign to help bankroll the relaunch. For locals, the project is both a familiar return and a fresh chapter for a room that has hosted music and neighborhood life for decades.
What The Reopening Means
The owners say the new programming is meant to spotlight a mix of jazz, electronic and roots music and to serve as a neighborhood hub for creativity, according to NBC Bay Area. They also voiced hope that some of San Francisco’s growing tech wealth will help keep smaller stages alive as the city’s nightlife continues to shift. The DeLuxe aims to balance nightly shows with community-focused events and prices that do not scare off regulars.
The DeLuxe reopens Thursday night with a slate of local bands and a calendar that is expected to roll out on the venue’s website. Beaulieu told SFist that even with a 2 AM permit, most bookings will likely wrap closer to midnight. Tickets, hours and the first weeks’ schedule will be posted by the venue in the coming days.
