Friends of The Octopus,

With teary eyes and heavy hearts, we write to tell you that our last day in business rapidly approaches. After four-and-a-half years, we will close our doors on August 31, 2019. We could not be more proud of the community that we and you have created together, and words cannot express the gratitude we feel for your presence and support along this journey.

We have been struggling for months to get our heads above water, but the reality is we simply aren’t bringing in enough money to continue. This abruptness of this news comes as a shock to everyone involved, and we wish that we had more time with you all. But we aren’t dead quite yet—we have two more weeks together to sing, play, raise a glass, and gather as a community. We would love to see you here.

We wish to thank our employees past and present for all of their energy and everything they have done to create the Octopus. They are the coolest people on Earth, bar none. They will be unemployed in two weeks, so please tip them generously in our last days. To the musicians, poets, writers, artists, activists, dancers, dreamers, futurists, anarchists, and everyone else who has breathed life into this space, thank you for sharing your talents with us.

Thank you all for your kind words and generous support in response to our GoFundMe campaign and Octopus Day. It meant a lot to us.

On August 28 & 29, from 7pm onward, come hang out and have a drink with us and bid the Octopus bon voyage. Keep your eyes out for us. We plan a Viking jazz funeral followed by a karaoke wake. Do we know any archers comfortable shooting flaming arrows into Lake Merritt?

This has been a rich and rewarding experience, and we have no regrets. We have lived our dreams, and the Octopus is a testament to the power of creative spirit and community. Thank you again.

Love,
Rebecca, Mike, and Ian
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