Dave’s, Popular Downtown Dive Bar, Bought by Future Bars Guys

Dave's Bar, the beloved dive bar on Third Street between Market and Kearny, lost its lease and is closing its doors on December 31 of this year, but business travelers and regulars shouldn't fret too much as the new owners promise not much will change.

Dave's was purchased by the Future Bars group, the guys behind swanky cocktail bars like Bourbon & Branch, Rickhouse, Tradition, and Devil's Acre. Partner Doug Dalton says the goal is to keep the new bar, which will be renamed The Lark, a neighborhood bar. "We're working on another project now," he says, emphasizing that the planning for The Lark is still in the very first stages. "But we want it to stay the same welcoming waterhole it is today."

Partner Brian Sheehy reiterated that telling Hoodline, "The big controversy about this transition is the city is going to lose one of its last downtown dive bars and that's absolutely not the case." Sheehy says that means the TVs will remain so customers can watch sports and that the chili and hot dogs also aren't going anywhere. "We want Dave's current customers to be our customers."

Dalton says he and his partner will start work on The Lark during the first quarter of 2016. Stay tuned for updates.