I got this letter in my email. I've had lots of fun times at the Eagle, with all different sorts of folks. I've never been to The Hole In The Wall, but am gonna try to check it out, in case these idiots manage to shut it down. They are also threatening to have the Eagle shut too. If you can go to the meeting or write to the representatives, that would be great. THere is also a call to boycott Stompers, since the owner of Stompers apparently is the one trying to stop the Hole IN THe Wall and going after The Eagle. It's up to you to decide if that's your thing.

Just wanted to pass on the info

-robin

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*******letter from the owners:***** ****

Dear Friends of SOMA Gay Culture,

Hole In The Wall Saloon has become famous since it opened some
thirteen years ago. At the depth of the AIDS epidemic, when gay South
of Market seemed to be dying, "The Hole" became a joyous retreat for
our community with an accent on art, fun, and music. A thinking man's bar.

Anyway, the building where it lives now is rapidly falling apart. For
years we've been looking for a more secure location, and in October of
2006 we bought a suitable property on Folsom Street.

Shortly thereafter, a man named Jim Meko handed us a letter.
Allegedly, he had already delivered a copy to the seller's realtor
before we bought the property. We'd never seen this letter. It stated
that he and the neighborhood did not want another bar in the South of
Market area (despite the fact that we had already been here for twelve
and a half years). So we held a neighborhood meeting and presented our
plans. We assured everyone that we would address all concerns with
haste and sincerity. Still, Mr. Jim Meko countered that if he stood at
the intersection of 8th and Folsom streets, he could hear loud music
from inside Hole In The Wall on any given night. He stated that The
Eagle Tavern, our second establishment (which has been a gay bar for
more than twenty-five years now) was a terrible nuisance and that he
was constantly annoyed by the commotion from its Sunday community
benefits. He finally stood up and exclaimed the following to our new
neighbors: "Don't trust these guys! They're bad bar owners!"

This last accusation cut the deepest. We've tried hard over the years
to be a positive force in our small corner of the world. We clean and
police the streets in front of our establishments. We donate time,
money, and energy to charities and clubs that we see making a
difference. Most importantly, we respect our employees as human beings
with rights. Since the beginning, we've provided them with health
insurance, paid vacations, and a yearly retreat at The Russian River.
Despite Mr. Jim Meko's characterization of it as a nuisance, The Eagle
Tavern raises tens of thousands of dollars for charities and civic
organizations each year. Finally, we can't count how many gay men have
sworn they met their life partner at the Hole In The Wall Saloon and
consider it a sacred place. We're proud of these things and believe
ourselves to be far from "bad bar owners".

We were soon informed that a hearing was being insisted upon by a
second neighbor at the urging of Mr. Jim Meko and that others had now
been persuaded to oppose the bar's relocation project. We personally
called this second neighbor. He had never been to Hole In The Wall. He
had been to The Eagle Tavern once.

At this point, the future of the Hole In The Wall looks grim. The
floor and foundation are in bad shape. The bar's days are numbered. We
can't afford to purchase another building; and in any case something
similar to all of this would be the certain outcome. South of Market,
in the hands of the small-minded, has slowly turned petty and
intolerant. Not only is Hole In The Wall certain to close if we can't
re-locate, but the future of The Eagle is in doubt as well. Mr. Jim
Meko's main complaints were directed against it, and he sits on the
city's Entertainment Commission.

What we're asking for is your spiritual and verbal support. We need
testimony from people who know the Hole In The Wall and The Eagle
Tavern and consider them important. Please send a short letter directly to

President Dwight Alexander
San Francisco Planning Department
1660 Mission St. 5th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103

OR SEND AN EMAIL TO CHRIS DALY, DISTRICT SIX SUPERVISOR, AT
chris.daly@sfgov. org

Your presence and willingness to speak for a minute or two at our
hearing on Thursday, May 10th beginning at 1:30 would be of immense
help. It will be at City Hall, Room 400. In any event, the destiny of
both the Hole In The Wall and The Eagle Tavern are up to their fans
now... As is the future and spirit of all of South of Market.

Sincerely,

John Gardiner & Joseph Banks, Proprietors
Hole In The Wall Saloon & The Eagle Tavern
E-mail: info@holeinthewalls aloon.com

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