Iconic Los Angeles Venue the Mayan Theater Announces Closure

The Mayan Theater, an iconic Los Angeles nightspot with 98 years of history, has announced it will permanently close its doors this September.

News of the venue’s closure was shared earlier this week on social media by the Mayan’s team. “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,” a statement read. 

“To our loyal patrons, community and friends: thank you for your unwavering support, your trust and the countless memories we’ve created together,” it continued. “You made every night truly special.”

The statement closed by inviting all patrons to send off the historic location in style, with the dance floor open weekly on Saturday nights through Sept. 13. “Join us … for one last celebration of everything the Mayan has meant to us all.”

In a statement shared to the Los Angeles Times, manager, owner and president Sammy Chao thanked the Mayan’s clientele for their support, pointing toward the ongoing impact of COVID as part of the reason for the decision.

“[T]he past five years have delivered an unrelenting barrage of adversity: the ongoing fallout of the pandemic, rising operational costs and staggering inflation, industry-wide strikes, dramatically shifting consumer habits, catastrophic fires, political unrest, and public policies at the city, state, and federal levels that have increasingly burdened small businesses and the workers who keep this city alive,” Chao explained.

“We’ve done everything possible to stay afloat, adapt and serve, but the path forward has been eroded beyond recognition. We have given this business everything we have — and more — and come this far, so the decision to close is not so much one of defeat, but of necessity and truth.”

Named for its use of Mayan Revival architecture, the Mayan – as it’s more commonly known – first opened in 1927, largely operating as a performing arts theater, before also showing films over the coming decades. In 1990, the venue entered new management and became a music venue and nightclub, hosting countless local and international names over the years.

Acts such as Jack White, Panic! At the Disco, INXS, Muse, Moby, The Residents, and more have all played the venue over the years, as have French electronic act Daft Punk, who marked the one-year anniversary of their split in 2022 by sharing footage of their 1997 performance at the Mayan.