The closure of The Local, as listed on Google and Yelp, marks the unceremonious end of a 22-year run for the bar, which had been operated by Social Syndicate and founded by local restaurateur Mina Desiderio. This past June, some vendors received an email from a Social Syndicate representative stating that The Local would permanently close and that the business was “unable to fulfill outstanding financial obligations.” The vague notice cited “circumstances beyond our control” but offered little explanation. Despite the correspondence, the bar continued to operate for several months afterward.
Meanwhile, Modern Times Beer + Coffee has confirmed that it will take over the space with a new concept called Timestead, described as a “retro-futurist” bar and restaurant featuring Modern Times’ signature craft beer, coffee cocktails, and expanded food offerings that are no longer solely plant-based. The company plans a full redesign of the property, with an opening now expected before Thanksgiving.
Though The Local’s East Village spinoff is reportedly in the works in the former Bootlegger building under a new business entity, downtown’s original location has quietly vanished. Its social-media pages remain dormant and the official website has reverted to a default hosting page reading, “Welcome to nginx!” - an anticlimactic finale for a bar that once billed itself as “San Diego’s neighborhood watering hole.”
After more than two decades serving drinks to locals, tourists, theatergoers and sports fans, The Local Eatery & Drinking Hole has closed not with a send-off or a statement, but with silence - leaving behind more questions than answers as Modern Times steps in to reimagine the space.
Timestead is expected to open on Monday, November 24 at 1065 Fourth Avenue in downtown San Diego. For more information, visit moderntimes.pub/timestead.
Originally published on October 31, 2025.
