Beatle House La, a beloved bar known for celebrating Halloween every day, is seeking support from its community as it faces a serious financial crisis that threatens its future.
The Gothic-themed bar and restaurant, which first opened in Los Angeles in 2017, launched a public fundraiser after a series of unexpected set-offs, including investor withdrawals and alleged theft.
According to the GoFundMe page created by the facility, the financial difficulties began when major investors failed to fund their promises. The owners say these losses have been exacerbated by recent wildfires in the area and the wider disruption in the Los Angeles area that has affected pedestrians and sales.
“We had investors who didn’t put in the money they agreed to, so there’s a huge hole in our finances,” the campaign said. “And that’s what our managers have stole over $60,000 from us. Those two things happen in a short time frame, and the current disruption that’s happening in Ryas and Los Angeles has been impacting a lot on our business.”
Founded by Zack Neil as a New York City pop-up in 2016, Beetle House expanded to Los Angeles the following year. The concept pays homage to the creepy and whimsical whims, drawing inspiration from people like Tim Burton, Edgar Allan Poe and Washington Irving, but there is no official partnership with those artists at the venue.
Inside, patrons can expect an immersive atmosphere filled with dim lighting that guides Gothic literature, cult films, and outsider art, costumed staff, themed cocktails and decorations.
The Beetle House has long been sold as “a safe place where all goths, punks, freaks, eccentrics, artists and visitors are welcomed and celebrated.”
Despite surviving the Covid-19 pandemic and previous challenges, the team behind Beetle House says they have reached their breaking point.
“We have never asked the public for help not through the pandemic, not in other times, but in the public,” they wrote. “For us, this is our last effort to see if we can continue doing this. The Beetle House has always been a labor of love… it’s about doing something we love for the community we love and those who love what we do.” At the time of writing, the donation continues to drip from eager fans trying to maintain what many describe as one of LA’s most unique nightlife experiences.
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