The filing lists CHW Entertainment, Inc. as the employer and identifies both The Shout! House and Garage Kitchen & Bar as affected businesses. The notice comes just weeks after ownership publicly confirmed that The Shout! House was undergoing a transition to new ownership under ENB Entertainment, a company led by longtime entertainer and entertainment manager Eric Blumenfeld. At the time, a company representative emphasized that the venue would remain open, continue operating under the same name, and maintain its popular dueling piano bar concept.
In a statement provided to SanDiegoVille in May, Shout House Marketing Director Josefine Jandinger described the transition as a continuation of the venue's legacy rather than a major operational change.
"The Shout! House is more than a bar - it's a tradition, a celebration destination, and a place where unforgettable memories are made," Blumenfeld said in a statement quoted by Jandinger. "I'm honored to carry the torch forward and continue the legacy that CHW Entertainment built over the last two decades."
Founded in 2004 by Kevin Clover, Roger Hunt, and Bob Walin under CHW Entertainment, The Shout! House has become one of downtown San Diego's most recognizable nightlife destinations. The venue helped establish the Gaslamp Quarter's entertainment identity during the neighborhood's rapid growth in the years surrounding the opening of Petco Park.
Because WARN notices are often required when employees are terminated as part of a sale, merger, business transfer, or change in employing entity, the filing does not necessarily indicate that either The Shout! House or Garage Kitchen & Bar will cease operations. In many ownership transitions, employees are formally separated from one company and subsequently hired by a successor entity, triggering WARN notification requirements even when a business remains open.
At this time, it remains unclear whether the 77 positions listed in the filing represent actual job eliminations, employee transfers to ENB Entertainment, or another component of the ownership transition.
SanDiegoVille has reached out to representatives of The Shout! House seeking clarification regarding the filing, the status of affected employees, and whether either venue anticipates any interruption in operations. This is a developing story and will be updated as additional information becomes available.
The Shout! House and Garage Kitchen & Bar are located at 655 Fourth Avenue in downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. For more information, visit theshouthouse.com.
Originally published on June 3, 2026.
