The Mayan, An Iconic Downtown LA Nightclub, To Close In September

The Mayan, a downtown Los Angeles staple that hosted some of music’s biggest acts early in their careers, announced Monday that it will shutter its doors at the end of September.

The venue posted a message on its Instagram page saying farewell after 35 years under the management of Sammy Chao, who converted the building into a nightclub after it closed as a film house in 1989.

“It is with heavy yet grateful hearts that we announce The Mayan will be closing its doors at the end of September, after 35 unforgettable years,” the venue wrote in its statement. “To our loyal patrons, community, and friends: thank you for your unwavering support, your trust, and the countless memories we’ve created together. You made every night truly special.”

Known for its pre-Columbian patterns and figures designed by Mexican artist Francisco Cornejo and other architects, the building opened in 1927 as a performing arts theater and has gone through a few transformations, later serving as a movie theater before becoming a nightclub. It is unknown what will happen to the building, which was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1989.

The Mayan still has some events on the calendar through September, including an industrial music showcase on the 12^th. In its message on social media, the venue encouraged people to hit its dance floor each Saturday night through Sept. 13 “for one last celebration of everything The Mayan has meant to us all.”

Located blocks away from Crypto.com Arena, The Mayan hosted premiers, private events and some of music’s biggest acts today over the past three decades, including Coldplay, Charli xcx, Linkin Park, M.I.A., Cage The Elephant, Marc Anthony, Jack White, Muse and Blur.

Funk band Cortex had a successful two-night stand at The Mayan last July, grossing $112,500 off 2,600 tickets sold, according to Pollstar Boxoffice.

The 1,300-capacity building on 1308 S. Hill Street has been featured in films like “A Night at the Roxbury,” “The Bodyguard” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School.”

The closure of The Mayan is a major blow to downtown L.A., where businesses have struggled to recover from the COVID-19 closures. Cole’s French Dip, L.A.’s oldest restaurant at 117 years old, announced last week that it will be closing in August. The downtown area also lost an iconic Latin nightclub last year in the Conga Room, an L.A. Live institution that shut its doors after 25 years because of rising costs and competition.

“The cost of artists ratcheted up significantly after the pandemic,” Conga Room founder Brad Gluckstein told the Los Angeles Times in 2024. “After the pandemic, artist royalties and monetization became singularly about concerts. National tours became the highest priority for artists, and we were just not able to compete.”