08/17/2026
SHUT HAPPENS!
THE DAKOTA 2018-2026
It has taken me a week to be able write this.
The weekend of August 9th, we said goodbye to The Dakota, and my heart is fuller than I imagined. For three unforgettable nights, the music never stopped. Friends gathered, stories flowed, and your love washed over us in waves. I keep searching for words, but thank you doesn't even begin to cover it.
When I first opened, the dream was simple: a neighborhood place that felt like home. The weekend reminded me that dream was real, because together we made it real. The Dakota belonged to everyone who stepped inside, whether it was once or every week…and so many of you felt it.
So, from the deepest part of me, thank you. Thank you for believing, for showing up, for carrying us through the hard times, and for sending us off with such grace and beauty. Thank you also for the donations, without which this would not have been possible. It truly made a difference. The doors may have closed, but the community we built together lives on. I love you all, more than I can say. Thank you for making The Dakota one of the greatest blessings of my life.
Special thanks to: Phyllis McNair, April Winn, Robert Downey, The Conjunto Heritage Taller, Los Nahuatlatos, The Boys from County Bexar, GoKart Mozart, Rob Molina Blues Band, T Bow Gonzales, April Ancira, Friends of Jabbar, Bexar Brass, Ronald Rubio, Künstler Brewing, Erika Rodriguez, Ray Colao, Eddie Vega, Dee Harkless, and so many more. Thank you.
