Photo by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña
Chris Zertuche and Soni Lopez-Chavez
The five-year anniversary of La Bodega Gallery is a big deal and, when we ask co-owner Soni López-Chávez, it’s been quite the roller coaster ride.
Located in the heart of Barrio Logan, La Bodega (2196 Logan Ave.) has served as an art space for the community and artists since opening in 2013. When owners Chris Zertuche and López-Chávez set out to open the gallery, they wanted to create a space where community members could see art created by local and established artists.
López-Chávez and Zertuche both became involved in the art scene in their adult lives, but after they met they realized they shared a similar interest in curating art shows. Five years ago, when they were presented with the opportunity to rent out the building in Barrio Logan, they decided to take their savings and open the gallery.
“We thought, ‘Why not give it a chance? Let’s just go for it,’” López-Chávez recalls.
The beginning was not perfect. They say they initially had trouble getting people to attend art shows because non-residents were fearful of going into the neighborhood. Over the years, however, the perception of the neighborhood has shifted drastically and is finally being recognized for being a hub for culture and art. López-Chávez and Zertuche have had the opportunity to not only host local artists, but also people from around the world.
But the success of the space has not come without obstacles.
Two years ago, they were notified by the city and fire marshal that the gallery, which is located inside a warehouse space, needed significant upgrades to meet city fire-safety standards. Changes to the building needed to be made if they wanted to continue hosting events and shows.
The inspection of the gallery was a result of an anonymous tip to the city about building code violation concerns. Around that same time, cities began cracking down on art spaces following the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland that claimed the lives of 36 individuals.
Zertuche says galleries in Barrio Logan like The Glashaus, Union, Bread & Salt and La Bodega were all hit with building violations. Only two of those four remain open.
“We were afraid that we would have to shut our doors,” says López-Chávez. “Usually we plan ahead so when this happened we already had the whole year planned out with shows and working with thousands of artists from all over the world. It would be devastating not only for us, but for them as well.”
Photo courtesy of La Bodega Gallery
La Bodega Gallery
López-Chávez and Zertuche created a GoFundMe page to help raise money to pay for almost $40,000 worth of renovations. Initially it was scary, López-Chávez says, and, in a way, it still is because it’s not over. They are currently waiting on the city to approve permits so they can move forward with changes to the building.
In the meantime, despite their concerns, they are celebrating and acknowledging the success they’ve had these past five years.
Their upcoming anniversary will be highlighted with a skateboard art show on Saturday, Jan. 12 from 5 to 10 p.m. Zertuche says they hope to continue expanding their art classes and offering different creative outlets for the neighborhood in the future.
“A gallery cannot be run without having the support of artists and the support of the community. There’s no way that we would be successful,” says López-Chávez. “We owe everything to the artists and to the community.”