The Victorian to Close After Halloween, Ending 20 Years on Main Street

SANTA MONICA - The Victorian is closing permanently at the end of October, after 20 years as a restaurant, event space, and nightlife venue in the historic house at 2640 Main Street.

The business announced the decision on Instagram on October 5, writing, "After 20 incredible years, The Victorian is closing its doors, but not before we say thank you." Its final weekend will be the annual Halloween party, leaving four weekends of service before the doors close for good.

In the post, the venue looked back on the nights and occasions that filled the building: "Countless first dates. Countless last drinks. Friendships made. Couples formed. Marriages celebrated. Breakups survived. Birthdays, milestones, reunions and nights that became stories you're still telling. 20 years of memories, all under one roof."

The Victorian to Close After Halloween, Ending 20 Years on Main Street

It also thanked the people who kept the rooms full. "To everyone who has ever danced with us, drank with us, celebrated with us, brought your friends, met someone new, or made a memory under our roof, thank you," the announcement said. "You made The Vic what it was."

By day, The Victorian operated as a restaurant and as a wedding and private-event venue. At night it became a multi-level club, with DJs and live music in the Basement Tavern, on the main floor, and upstairs. It was especially known for long-running Salsa Thursdays, with salsa and bachata classes and open-floor dancing that regularly ran late.

The house itself is older than the business. Built in 1892, the two-story residence was moved to its present site in Heritage Square in 1973, across from the California Heritage Museum. The property is owned by the City of Santa Monica and has been leased for The Victorian.

The Victorian to Close After Halloween, Ending 20 Years on Main Street

The Instagram post did not give a reason for the closure and did not say what will happen to the building after the final weekend. City officials had not announced a new use for the parcel as of the announcement.

What is known is the ownership. The house sits on a city-owned parcel in Heritage Square, leased for The Victorian / California Heritage. The building itself is the 1892 residence that was moved to the site in 1973, across from the California Heritage Museum. Because the city owns the land, any next tenant, new lease, or change of use would be a city decision, not something the restaurant can decide on its own.No redevelopment plan, request for proposals, or new operator has been tied to this address in the coverage of the closing. Nearby Main Street parking-lot housing talk is a separate issue and does not apply to this parcel.