The Ché Café is Saved!

The Ché Café is set to host its opening show tomorrow with Fashion Jackson, Rubenstein Drive-By, Mr. Mumble, and Well Well Well performing.

The Ché, located on the outskirts of Revelle College, has been closed since July 2017 for renovations, including the installation of fire sprinklers, new lighting, flooring, hydration stations, and ADA-compliant, gender-neutral bathrooms.

The Ché signed an eight-year master lease agreement last July, ending more than three years of protests and negotiations after the University filed an eviction notice in 2014. The Ché will continue operations for 40 months, with an opportunity for another 48-month extension contingent upon the Ché maintaining its non-profit status, covering its liability insurance, and making safety renovations to the building.

“We have a new lease and are in good standing with the university,” said Ché Café core member Brad Anderson. “We do not expect any more drama or eviction threats.”  

The lease includes all four of the university’s student-run co-ops: the Ché Café, Groundworks Books, the Food Cooperative, and the General Store Cooperative, with each cooperative being charged a dollar per year for rent and the university paying for utilities.

Founded in 1980, the Ché venue has served as hub for vegan dining and the punk and indie rock scene in San Diego. It has hosted rising artists such as Jimmy Eat World, Green Day, Bon Iver, and more recently, Frankie Cosmos and Girlpool. The venue also has also hosted many local bands, Friday’s show being no exception.

Artists playing at Friday’s show will include Fashion Jackson, an alternative rock band from Ocean Beach; Rubenstein Drive-By, a heavy psychedelic surf band from Encinitas; Mr. Mumble, an indie rock band; and Well Well Well, a rock duo comprised of guitarist Seton Edgerton and drummer Dan Nichols.

Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. and tickets will be $7 at the door. The show is open to all UC San Diego students.

Sabira Parajuli is the Arts and Culture Editor for The Triton.