ENCINITAS — The building home to The Saloon and Shelter nightclubs on Coast Highway 101 in downtown Encinitas has been listed for sale as of Monday, but the popular night spots will not be impacted by the transaction, the listing agent said.
“The building itself is for sale, not the businesses,” said James Bengala, a commercial real estate agent in charge of the listing. “The Saloon and the Shelter are both locked into a very long-term lease through the year 2036, so they’re good.”
The property, listed at $6,466,549, encompasses 6,188 square feet, equating to $1,045 per square foot. Bengala said this pricing was “right in the middle” of other comparable commercial properties along the Highway 101 corridor, ranging from Carlsbad to Del Mar.
The structure, which dates back to the early 1930s, has been in the same family since 1957. The current owners are looking to sell to the right group that will honor the property’s legacy rather than simply aiming for the highest bid.
“The sellers want to find the right group to pass on the baton because this is a legacy asset,” Bengala explained. “It really is a legacy asset, and so it’s important to them to find the right group that is going to take care of the place after they move on with their lives.”
Bengala said that while there has already been significant interest in the property since it was listed on Monday, the current tenants’ operations will continue uninterrupted.
“As far as the public knows and sees, they’ll notice nothing different,” Bengala said.
