Save Newport Real News in Newport Beach
Saturday is the last day for the beloved Pierce Street Annex. A staple go-to spot for so many in Newport/Mesa, it was famous for its caricatures of locals posted on the walls, its live perforamnces from bands both new and old, and of course– the outdoor burger grills, where you can order a burger and truly have it done “your way”.
As time has ticked on, the building and the insides have taken a huge toll on the building, and it is in dire need of a remodel, which will rebirth the building into an old school golf-style country club, with dark mahogany walls and the green booths of yesteryear. Remember the old Ritz? Or perhaps what the original Big Canyon country club looked like, or the originals back on the East Coast? Think that kind of country club. Not the country club with a mechanical bull. For that, go to Saddle Ranch.
Pierce Street Annex is located on 17th Street in Costa Mesa– a bit outside our Newport realm, but with such a history and its last day looming tomorrow, I figured I would let anyone know who wanted to say their goodbyes. But wait– why is a place on 17th Street called “Pierce Street Annex”? As the story goes, the original owners were quite the party animals up in San Francisco. They lived on Pierce Street and had so many house parties that they wound up being given the dreaded “final warning” from their lenient landlord. In response, they rented a building in the Marina district, calling it Pierce Street Annex as a nod to the original place of “accumulation”. The place went wild. Throughout the next 40 years, they constructed new Pierce Street Annexes in locations as far away as Anchorage Alaska, Washington DC, Lake Tahoe, and other cities where the alcohol flows like the fog in San Francisco.
As the owners moved forward, their original location in San Fran was purchased by the former SF mayor, Gavin Newsom. He gave them the boot and tore the whole place down. One by one, each of the clubs succumbed to the elements or new building arrangements as they tended to value nostalgia over maintenance. There is something to be said for nostalgia, though, and if you’re one for it, give Pierce Street another shot tonight– or better yet, tomorrow afternoon, where all profits from 2pm until 8pm will be going to the employees to help them during the construction period. It’s the last Pierce Street Annex in the nation, and is worthy of a hearty farewell.
The new Country Club is slated to open in October or November this year, weather and the always-accurate-construction-schedules permitting.
So throw a couple of bones at Pierce Street. The famous grill will be open until midnight on Saturday, and Sunday the whole place will be closed. Thanks for the memories, Pierce Street!
