October 9, 2026 2:58 PM

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Oct. 9, 2026) - The Victorian will close as a restaurant and nightclub after its annual Halloween weekend this month - and will then reopen under the same local operators as The Santa Monican, a family-centered membership club with dining, recreation, wellness and children's programming at 2640 Main St.

The change began with Garner Gerson and Adir Tal, the Santa Monica hospitality operators behind The Victorian, who approached the city in late 2025 with a proposal to move away from the late-night model. Their experience told them that a family-focused club would serve the community better than a night club. Rather than see a tenant leave a city-owned historic property, city staff worked with the operators to restructure the lease, and the City Council approved it unanimously on March 24.

Under the lease, the Sunday Farmers Market will transition to a weekly, open street event on Main Street. In addition, up to 20% of memberships will be reserved as free scholarship memberships for Santa Monica residents, including families, educators and small business owners.

"The Victorian holds 20 years of birthdays, dates and nights out with friends, and I understand why people are sad to see it go," Mayor Caroline Torosis said. "This building belongs to the city, so we wrote public benefits into its lease. Up to 20% of memberships will be free for qualifying Santa Monica residents, the lawn and public parking will stay open to everyone, and the Sunday Farmers Market will remain. The Victorian's operators are investing in this historic building because they believe in Main Street, and we will keep making it easier for small businesses to open and grow here."

"Garner and Adir came to us with a clear read on their own business. During our early conversations, they shared that their nightlife model had run its course at The Victorian, and that families were what Main Street needed next," City Manager Oliver Chi said. "Our job in that moment was not to get in the way, but to help them get there. In a realigned Santa Monica, that is what working with our business community looks like - listening when an operator tells us the market has changed and moving quickly so that a historic property stays active, cared for and open to the community."

"The outpouring of memories about The Victorian over the past few days has been extraordinary. People met their husbands and wives here and celebrated some of the best nights of their lives," Adir Tal said. "We're proud of what The Victorian has meant to Santa Monica, and just as proud that this property has a future."

Plans for The Santa Monican include a pool; a spa and fitness center; a family and youth facility; a coffee bistro; and a restaurant and bar. In addition, the revamped facility will feature gardens and gathering spaces on the grounds. The operators plan to work with the city and community organizations on seasonal events at the property, including free summer barbecues, Santa Monica Snow Days and holiday celebrations.

"We want kids growing up in Santa Monica today to have the same connection to Main Street so many of us had growing up," Garner Gerson said. "We want families walking the neighborhood, visiting local shops, having dinner and making memories here."

Main Street has seen a few businesses close this year, as every commercial corridor does. It has also seen a steady run of new openings. Met Her at a Bar, an all-day café from restaurateurs Mindy and Vinny Kinne, opened at 2651 Main St. in August with roughly 100 jobs, the couple's first Santa Monica location. Circle Bar, a Main Street fixture since 1949, reopened at 2926 Main St. in May under new local ownership after nearly three years dark. Santa Monica Market at 2015 Main St. added a full deli counter this summer under new owners. Punch Bowl Juice & Smoothie recently opened at 2218 Main St. Bar Fortuna, an all-day wine bar from the team behind Crudo e Nudo, is set to open at 2917 Main St. this fall. And the operators of The Victorian will open Nameless, which closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, at 2810 Main St.

That pattern extends across the city. Kogen Omakase, a 10-seat, 20-course sushi counter, opened at 109 Santa Monica Blvd. downtown this summer. Gott's Roadside opened its first coastal location at Fourth Street and Wilshire Boulevard on Oct. 2, filling a long-vacant corner. The Win-Dow on Montana Avenue and Raising Cane's on Third Street Promenade opened in June, and HomeState opened on Wilshire Boulevard.

Those openings follow actions the City Council took in March to make it easier to open and operate a business in Santa Monica, including eliminating the $1,000-per-seat for new restaurants and establishing a $3 million economic development fund to attract and retain businesses. The Council approved The Santa Monican lease at the same March 24 meeting at which it adopted the Realignment Plan update, which prioritizes economic revitalization along the city's commercial corridors, including Main Street.

The two-story Victorian home was built in 1892 and moved to its current site in Heritage Square in 1973, across from the California Heritage Museum. The city owns the property, which has operated as a restaurant and event venue for decades.

The Victorian's final weekend of operations will be its annual Halloween celebration. Renovation is expected to begin in late 2026, with an opening targeted for mid-2028. Membership details and pricing will be announced by the operators in the coming months. For more information, visit santamonica.gov.

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