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Queen Bee’s keeps fighting to stay put
But lease expiration appears imminent
Danny Carey of TOOL at Queen Bee’s during covid.
“A city truck crashed into the building in the middle of a show,” says Alma Rodriguez, owner of Queen Bee’s Arts and Cultural Center in North Park. It’s an awful sort of poetic symbolism for a venue that has seen, absorbed, and hosted its share of artistic activity over the past 16 years. Rodriguez renovated the disrepair in the building and continued to host everything from concerts and dance classes to live BDSM demonstrations, fundraisers for charitable causes, and a church. (Not at the same time, as far as this writer knows, but given the pull of the venue and Rodriguez’ open mind, anything’s possible.) But then their lease wasn’t renewed after building owner Allen Hitch, Jr. died and left the site vulnerable to demolition and eventual replacement by an apartment building.
“It’s been an ugly and greedy fight,” is as far as Rodriguez will go in addressing the legal battle between herself and Hitch’s heirs, which has been waged amid lots of red tape and accusations. Though no date is set for the lease expiration, it appears imminent. If and when it happens, this newest development will change the face of the neighborhood yet again. “We have about three neighbors from when we started,” says Rodriguez, “El Comal North Park Mexican Food, Ranchos Cocina, and Caffe Calabria.”
Where developers saw potential profits, and where property heirs see a windfall, Hitch Jr. saw and supported Rodriguez’s vision — and the resultant vitality she brought to the neighborhood. That vision is shared by Emily Faye, who began taking dance classes there before becoming an instructor. “I think a lot of people think of Queen Bee’s as just a dance studio, but it’s so much more than that,” she says. “It’s a place for artists and creatives to collaborate and bring our community together through all sorts of different expressions, from wellness to fashion, poetry, and more. It exists as a safe space for all sorts of demographics too, and I think having that environment in today’s world is so, so important.” (The impact of the club extends beyond the artists’ community, with Mayor Todd Gloria declaring December 12 “Queen Bee’s Day.”)
The significance of that coalition of creatives became more pronounced during the pandemic, which left venues without an income stream due to stay-at-home orders and mask mandates. While San Diego’s creative community responded with things like outdoor shows and free performances in driveways, Queen Bee’s attracted a bona fide rock star who just wanted to play. “Danny [Carey, drummer] from Tool came here during Covid times to jam with all the jazz musicians, with social distanced performances six feet from each other,” says Rodriguez. “It was crazy, but where there’s a will, there’s a way, and everybody showed up here for that.”
The appeal of Queen Bee’s isn’t just the by-product of location; it’s the result of Rodriguez’s personal interest in everything that goes on there. “She took the time to meet with me and introduce the space to me through new eyes and explained its significance to her,” says Faye. “I’ve always felt comfortable at this space as a dancer, but that introduction gave me a whole new appreciation of it and the confidence that I would be part of a loving family here.” There is a provenance, a palpable history at the site, one of the few all-ages places where a young band can perform on a proper stage with a fully equipped sound system.
The open mind of the owner and the staff’s commitment to the community and nonjudgmental inclusion of all cultures yielded positive experiences that stayed with the participants. “[I remember] putting on my first ever line dance event with this team for a mini-convention called School for Ghouls,” Faye recalls. “What an incredible turnout, and such kind words from everyone about how great it was and how much fun they had. Knowing we did that in a month was the coolest thing.”
There’s still hope that the venue won’t need to relocate, as attempts to have the building designated a historical landmark continue. But that will still leave the matter of leasing the property from heirs who have so far been unable or unwilling to work with Rodriguez. Not that she’s one to lie down and take it; she’s always been willing to fight for what she believes in. While she looks for a new space, negotiating in accord with her uncompromising vision, Queen Bee’s continues to host events. Through pandemics, legal wars and city trucks crashing into the building, Rodriguez always finds a solution. “I just pulled the generator out,” she says. “The show must go on.”
Here's something you might be interested in.
Queen Bee’s keeps fighting to stay put
But lease expiration appears imminent
Queen Bee’s keeps fighting to stay put
But lease expiration appears imminent
Danny Carey of TOOL at Queen Bee’s during covid.
“A city truck crashed into the building in the middle of a show,” says Alma Rodriguez, owner of Queen Bee’s Arts and Cultural Center in North Park. It’s an awful sort of poetic symbolism for a venue that has seen, absorbed, and hosted its share of artistic activity over the past 16 years. Rodriguez renovated the disrepair in the building and continued to host everything from concerts and dance classes to live BDSM demonstrations, fundraisers for charitable causes, and a church. (Not at the same time, as far as this writer knows, but given the pull of the venue and Rodriguez’ open mind, anything’s possible.) But then their lease wasn’t renewed after building owner Allen Hitch, Jr. died and left the site vulnerable to demolition and eventual replacement by an apartment building.
“It’s been an ugly and greedy fight,” is as far as Rodriguez will go in addressing the legal battle between herself and Hitch’s heirs, which has been waged amid lots of red tape and accusations. Though no date is set for the lease expiration, it appears imminent. If and when it happens, this newest development will change the face of the neighborhood yet again. “We have about three neighbors from when we started,” says Rodriguez, “El Comal North Park Mexican Food, Ranchos Cocina, and Caffe Calabria.”
Where developers saw potential profits, and where property heirs see a windfall, Hitch Jr. saw and supported Rodriguez’s vision — and the resultant vitality she brought to the neighborhood. That vision is shared by Emily Faye, who began taking dance classes there before becoming an instructor. “I think a lot of people think of Queen Bee’s as just a dance studio, but it’s so much more than that,” she says. “It’s a place for artists and creatives to collaborate and bring our community together through all sorts of different expressions, from wellness to fashion, poetry, and more. It exists as a safe space for all sorts of demographics too, and I think having that environment in today’s world is so, so important.” (The impact of the club extends beyond the artists’ community, with Mayor Todd Gloria declaring December 12 “Queen Bee’s Day.”)
The significance of that coalition of creatives became more pronounced during the pandemic, which left venues without an income stream due to stay-at-home orders and mask mandates. While San Diego’s creative community responded with things like outdoor shows and free performances in driveways, Queen Bee’s attracted a bona fide rock star who just wanted to play. “Danny [Carey, drummer] from Tool came here during Covid times to jam with all the jazz musicians, with social distanced performances six feet from each other,” says Rodriguez. “It was crazy, but where there’s a will, there’s a way, and everybody showed up here for that.”
The appeal of Queen Bee’s isn’t just the by-product of location; it’s the result of Rodriguez’s personal interest in everything that goes on there. “She took the time to meet with me and introduce the space to me through new eyes and explained its significance to her,” says Faye. “I’ve always felt comfortable at this space as a dancer, but that introduction gave me a whole new appreciation of it and the confidence that I would be part of a loving family here.” There is a provenance, a palpable history at the site, one of the few all-ages places where a young band can perform on a proper stage with a fully equipped sound system.
The open mind of the owner and the staff’s commitment to the community and nonjudgmental inclusion of all cultures yielded positive experiences that stayed with the participants. “[I remember] putting on my first ever line dance event with this team for a mini-convention called School for Ghouls,” Faye recalls. “What an incredible turnout, and such kind words from everyone about how great it was and how much fun they had. Knowing we did that in a month was the coolest thing.”
There’s still hope that the venue won’t need to relocate, as attempts to have the building designated a historical landmark continue. But that will still leave the matter of leasing the property from heirs who have so far been unable or unwilling to work with Rodriguez. Not that she’s one to lie down and take it; she’s always been willing to fight for what she believes in. While she looks for a new space, negotiating in accord with her uncompromising vision, Queen Bee’s continues to host events. Through pandemics, legal wars and city trucks crashing into the building, Rodriguez always finds a solution. “I just pulled the generator out,” she says. “The show must go on.”
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