To celebrate diversity and multiculturalism, Larry Hashbarger and Skip Young opened a restaurant and cabaret in San Francisco in 1998. That club, AsiaSF, will be closing 26 years later.
After announcing its closure, the well-known drag club’s ladies will perform their final act this spring.
The founder and CEO of AsiaSF, Larry Hashbarger, stated in a news release, “It’s been a extraordinary run and an incredible privilege to work with our transgender Ladies of AsiaSF.”
According to Hashbarger, the shutdown resulted from the altered nightlife due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the associated financial difficulties.
The final dinner show at the club is scheduled for March 31, which is International Transgender Day of Visibility.
According to Hashbarger, “One of our missions of AsiaSF has always been to create a trans-positive environment that educates and raises awareness about living your truth and being your authentic self,” “while at the same time providing our guests with a ‘time of your life’ experience.”
Hashbarger said that although the physical restaurant will be closing, pop-up events might take place in the future.
“This is very much a transition, and the end of an era. However, hopefully, it is the beginning of new opportunities for our vision and the Ladies of AsiaSF,” Hashbarger said.
Award-winning Asian food and a Vegas-style drag show on a runway stage were features of AsiaSF’s dinner-and-show experience. OpenTable named it “Best Ambiance” and “One of the Top 100 Hottest Restaurants in America.” Since its opening, more than a million people have visited.