\u201cShould it close, that location is going to stay blank for a long time,\u201d Escobar told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201c(San Pedro Social) completes the block.\u201d<\/p>\n
This news organization previously reported that another late night downtown venue, Kaizen Lounge<\/a>, agreed in July to temporarily close its doors as it works to overcome similar permit challenges<\/a>. Kaizen\u2019s closure came as city officials issued a $50,000 fine\u00a0over accusations the venue had operated as an illegal nightclub.<\/p>\n San Pedro Social \u2014 which boasts several lounges and event spaces, as well as a bowling alley, arcade games and karaoke nights \u2014 ran into trouble with the city in 2025 when San Jose slapped the venue with a $5,000 fine for operating past midnight without proper permits. Escobar said the owners were not aware that a late night permit had expired.<\/p>\n The venue has been in compliance with the midnight curfew since September 2025, Escobar said. In addition, the club stepped up security to meet conditions of its permit application.<\/p>\n San Pedro Social\u2019s closure has been met with dismay from longtime regulars.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw that place go from a little arcade to one of the nicest places to go in downtown San Jose for a drink after work,\u201d Robert Contreras, a San Jose resident who has frequented the club since it opened, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cIt turned into a huge, huge thing. I feel like the the line was wrapped around the corner for a long time. It made San Jose the place to go to. Now it\u2019s kind of like there\u2019s this huge void missing.\u201d<\/p>\n San Pedro Social\u2019s permit application has been in the works for a year and a half, but has been held up by bureaucratic hurdles as well as pushback from neighboring businesses and property owners, venue owner Mike Messinger said in a report from the Silicon Valley Business Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n Shutting down at midnight meant missing out on some of the most lucrative hours of the day, costing the venue millions of dollars in foregone revenue, Messinger said. Even this year\u2019s surge in downtown foot traffic<\/a> spurred by a series of major sports events has not been enough to make up for the losses.<\/p>\n Messinger declined to comment.<\/p>\n A representative for San Jose\u2019s Department of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight the permit application will be heard by the council next month, but did not say whether the department will recommend approval.<\/p>\n
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