Owner of SF bar Trad’r Sam denies bar closure as lawsuit looms

A cardboard sign recently posted on the Trad’r Sam storefront was a troubling sight for locals who have flocked to the storied Tiki bar in San Francisco’s Richmond District over the decades.

“Closed until further notice,” the sign read.

The sign led to rumors that the famed bar faces a permanent closure. However, SFGATE visited Trad’r Sam, where owner John Munguia dispelled the gossip on Monday, claiming that the bar is only temporarily closed for renovations. Once it reopens, it “will come back better than ever,” Munguia said.

But legal filings show that the Tiki bar could still be at risk of shutting down entirely amid a dispute between Munguia and his business partner and sister Dorothy Riedel. 

The civil suit filed by Riedel on Sept. 21 seeks to dissolve her business partnership with Munguia. Riedel is requesting judicial supervision “winding up the business of Trad’r Sam,” as well as “an order of the Court dissolving” their legal partnership. If the court sides with Riedel’s demands, it’s not clear whether this would lead to the closure of the bar altogether.

Munguia told SFGATE via email that he purchased Trad’r Sam in 1972. Riedel’s suit includes a copy of the agreement he allegedly signed with Riedel in 1988 to become business partners. Since 2020, the siblings have been embroiled in legal disputes over how to manage the bar, and whether they should relocate or negotiate for a new lease. 

According to the suit filed in San Francisco Superior Court, Trad’r Sam’s lease at 6150 Geary Blvd. is set to expire Sept. 30. The suit says that the landlord for the property served the siblings with “a notice of termination of tenancy” earlier this month and ordered them to remove their personal property. 

SFGATE reached out to Munguia’s lawyer to ask why Trad’r Sam was at risk of eviction but did not hear back by the time of publication. As of Tuesday, a new sign has been posted on the Trad’r Sam storefront that read: “Pirates attacked Temporarily closed for repairs see you soon,” which was signed “John & Dorothy.”

On Tuesday, Munguia shared a statement with SFGATE saying that the bar had an “unexpected closure” but “will be back in a few weeks.”

“Trad’r Sam was established in 1937, and John and Dorothy are excited to honor this unique local landmark and will be doing some work over the next several weeks to fix up the bar while maintaining its charm. The family looks forward to serving San Francisco for decades more to come,” Munguia told SFGATE via email. 

Munguia and Riedel are due in court in February 2024 for a case management conference.

 SFGATE newsletter editor Cole Chapman contributed to this report.