Silver Peso owner provides update on Larkspur bar

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest night of the year for the Silver Peso, when lines snake down the block and locals pack the Larkspur dive bar for late-night reunion revelry. But this year, the 64-year-old watering hole remains closed. In May, a car crashed into the back of the two-story building, one of downtown Larkspur’s oldest commercial properties, causing structural damage that forced the extended shutdown. Owner Rebel Lee, who worked as a bartender at the Peso for more than a decade before buying it in 2015, shared in a Facebook update this month that 450 Magnolia Avenue is in the process of being sold, and he is working with attorneys to preserve the bar’s lease. “My understanding is the new landlords will repair the damage and get us open as soon as possible,” wrote Lee, mentioning the hardship on his staff. “If you see them working somewhere else, buying groceries, coffee, etc., maybe offer to help them if you can, even if it’s not monetary. None of this is any of their faults.” Lee told me in a phone conversation this week that the sale may close as soon as this week, though the bar’s future remains uncertain. “I don’t know the new owners well, but it’s my understanding that they have no interest in purchasing the business,” he said. “The Silver Peso is a historical landmark, and I don’t believe it can be anything other than a bar.” Lee says he’ll update the Silver Peso Facebook page when there’s news to share. “I’m not quite sure what to expect, but I know it’s not going to be a wine bar,” said Lee, referring to a prevailing rumor. “Since I got the business, my motto has always been the longevity of the Peso and that it will remain in effect long after my ownership. I’ve been there 24 years, and it’s been good to me, so I would like to do it justice.”.
https://www.marinij.com/2025/11/25/silver-peso-owner-provides-update-on-larkspur-bar/