An iconic gay bar changes its business model to survive gentrification

The Stud, a gay bar and performance space in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood, turned 50 in 2016. But, it was also in the news that year for another reason: The owner was calling it quits after a new landlord upped the rent by nearly $6000 — from $3800 a month to $9500. To keep the doors open, The Stud’s loyal patrons banded together to buy the business and formed a worker co-op. That, as it turns out, was the easy part. We catch up with the co-owners a few years later to hear how they did it and how it’s going.