“The Dirty is DEAD.” That’s what the owner of iconic Santa Rosa dive bar The Dirty along Mendocino Avenue near College — better known as Dirty Bird and formerly named Round Robin, one of the county’s first local gay bars — wrote in a message to followers earlier this month. “There has been some very unfortunate circumstances that we just can’t move past and we will be closing March 1. So make sure to come in show the staff some love, create some last memories [and say your] goodbyes for the whole month of February.” They’re even hosting an official funeral from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. this Sunday, and will be selling off “all of the decor and weird items from The Dirty” at a huge liquidation sale all weekend, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Bar owner Cody Brown, who also co-owns Crooks Coffee, tells the Press Democrat that he’s closing The Dirty “due to legal battles with his landlord and business partners.” Here’s some more colorful bar history from the PD, to add to your nostalgia trip: “The Dirty was one of the three bars at the intersection of College and Mendocino avenues in Santa Rosa known as the Tipsy Triangle, or also the ‘Golden Triangle’ and ‘Barmuda Triangle.’ The building went up around 1920, according to its current owner. It sits on a corner near the busy intersection of Mendocino and College Avenue, easily recognizable as the black building with murals painted by local artists on the front and north sides of the building. Outside of being known as one of the first gay bars in the county, it was also known for a spat between a couple that turned into a large-scale melee in 2001 that involved as many as 100 bar patrons and 30 police officers.” Brown writes in his own nostalgic goodbye note on Facebook: “It’s been amazing building this community with everybody, you guys have been so awesome and our staff absolutely loves this community that we have built. We hate to say goodbye and it is heartbreaking but it’s unavoidable. I hope you all show up this month and really show your love. Let’s send it on a high note. We love all of you and thank you so much for supporting us through these years.” (Source: The Dirty via Facebook & Google Maps & Press Democrat; paywall)
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