The Mellow, a plant shop by day and cafe-barber mashup on the corner of Haight and Masonic, is turning its upstairs into an intimate live music room starting in early August. Owners Lorena Cortez and David Velasco say they have secured a Type 90 entertainment license and will add a compact beer, wine and cocktail lineup alongside a short tapas menu. The shift comes on the heels of this week’s closure of their original Mission plant shop and marks a deliberate push to pump more nighttime energy into the Upper Haight.
From plants to a listening room
Beginning in early August, the mezzanine will host ticketed, seated shows designed for serious listeners, according to The San Francisco Standard. Cortez told the outlet, The Haight needs a big infusion, and she and Velasco say jazz will be the first focus, even as they stay open to other genres. Music has been part of The Mellow’s DNA since the owners put on sidewalk and park performances during the pandemic, and this new setup turns that casual programming into a full-fledged evening venue.
City cleared the way
City records show the Board’s Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee approved a resolution recommending a Type 90 on-sale general music venue license for The Mellow at 1401 Haight Street. The meeting file (No. 260352) asks the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to attach specific conditions as part of the license process, according to the City and County of San Francisco Legistar. Meeting minutes show the committee adopted the resolution in April, and municipal paperwork moved forward in May, clearing the path for paid performances this summer.
A short, local drink program
The beverage menu will be overseen by Gillian Fitzgerald of Mission bar Casements and is set to highlight local producers such as Standard Deviant Brewery and St. George Spirits, The San Francisco Standard reports. Cortez and Velasco say food will stay in the lane of small, seasonal plates meant to complement the evening sets.
Where it fits
The timing comes as the owners streamline their business after shutting down their original Mission plant shop this week, Mission Local reported, allowing them to zero in on the larger Haight location. The move also lands in the middle of a slow-motion rebuild of Haight Street nightlife - the storied Club Deluxe has already reopened under new ownership, a signal that live music is welcome again in the neighborhood, according to NBC Bay Area. Coverage from outlets like Eater SF has followed new bar teams and cocktail projects moving into longtime Haight addresses, a trend the Mellow owners say makes their timing feel right.
What to expect and when
The Mellow’s own calendar already lists ongoing "Mellow Sessions" and Lakehouse Jazz events and shows the Haight space hosting regular performances, according to the venue’s site. For tickets and the full slate of shows, see the events pages for Mellow Sessions and Lakehouse Jazz. The owners say daytime plant and cafe service will remain in place while the night program grows into a neighborhood listening room.
