The Bonham Exchange announced Thursday it would close for four to five months to install a fire sprinkler system to comply with a city fire-code requirement.
The system is expected to cost about $550,000.
Under an agreement reached with the city in February, the Bonham was allowed to continue operating with an occupancy limit of 299 patrons on the condition that a first-floor sprinkler system be installed and approved by Aug. 1.
After the city denied a request for an extension, the business cannot operate until the work is completed. Friday will be its last full day of operation until it reopens.
On Thursday afternoon, a representative for the Bonham Exchange said a statement would be released later in the day and declined further comment.
“We have been working with the City on this project since February. The final timeline moved faster than we had hoped, and we know this is short notice for our patrons and staff. Thank you for your patience,” Bonham management said in a statement.
The Happy Foundation, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that oversees the operations of the Bonham Exchange, said financing had been secured but did not immediately say how.
“Securing financing for a project of this size was not easy, but the Bonham means too much to us — and to so many across this city — not to do everything we can to protect its future,” the Happy Foundation said. “The funding secured will also let us make other improvements while our doors are closed, including improvements to the sound system, refinishing original wood flooring in our beautiful ballroom, and several other upgrades throughout the venue.”
Two other entities, Coconut 411 and 1122 Corporation, also have a stake in the Bonham’s ownership and operations.
During a February City Council meeting, San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones made a commitment to help with the fundraising effort. Bonham representatives later said that assistance did not materialize, while the mayor said she offered other potential financial solutions.
The Bonham Exchange is San Antonio’s longest continually operating LGBTQ+ nightclub. It’s housed in a historic building just a few blocks from the Alamo at 411 Bonham St.
The building opened in 1891 as Turner Hall, a German athletic club. It then served as a USO office, and in 1981 it became the Bonham Exchange, operated by Hap Veltman, who originally opened the San Antonio Country, another LGBTQ+ club, before opening the Bonham.
Veltman died in 1988. Ownership was transferred to his longtime partner Kenneth Garrett, who died in 2019.
The Happy Foundation said the club would reopen after the system is installed.
“We want our friends, neighbors, and longtime patrons to hear one thing clearly: the Bonham Exchange is here to stay. For decades, this has been a place where people come together to dance, celebrate, connect, and make memories,” the Happy Foundation said. “We know what that means, and we are committed to caring for this building so it can keep welcoming generations of San Antonians and their guests.”
Club 727 also must close after the city denied its request for more time to install a required fire sprinkler system. The temporary certificates of occupancy for both clubs expire Aug. 1.
