SAN FRANCISCO—A big change is coming to San Francisco's former National Guard Armory, better known to the adult industry as the home to Kink.com.
A massive building in San Francisco's Mission District, the Armory was purchased by Kink.com founder Peter Acworth in 2006. After nearly a million dollars in upgrades, it will launch as a full-time event space under the control of San Francisco nightlife luminary Audrey Joseph.
Kink.com spokesman Michael Stabile told AVN, "We're an entertainment company at heart, so it just made sense to transform this space into something that could be used by the whole community. And, of course, with the current political and regulatory environment in California, it makes sense to diversify what we do here."
Said Joseph, the former president of the San Francisco Entertainment Commission and the trailblazer behind such venues as Mezzanine and Club Townsend, "There aren't many spaces this large or beautiful left in San Francisco. Bill Graham, the Masonic Auditorium, and now The Armory. From the moment I saw the old drill court, I knew that if properly done, the Armory could transform the cultural life of the city."
An earlier incarnation of the venue, the Armory Community Center, opened in 2013 and hosted book fairs, theater events, and several Pride and New Year's parties. But the 40,000-square-foot space still needed work if it is going to compete with more established venues. When Joseph took the helm at the beginning of 2015, she immediately began capital improvements to make it a world-class venue that could attract major event promoters.
Now, alongside its signature 80-foot domed ceiling, the Armory boasts heavily soundproofed walls and windows, brand-new bathrooms, a coat check and floating hardwood flooring. The Armory holds up to 4,000 people, making it one of the biggest venues in the city.
Joseph crowed, "It has the best dance floor in San Francisco."
With the upgrades nearing completion, Joseph is turning her attention toward bookings. Last month, the Armory hosted HARD SF, a one-night musical festival headline by the Chemical Brothers, that pulled in thousands. She's is now in talks with national producers LiveNation and Goldenvoice about a more aggressive schedule.
"The space is ripe to tickle the imagination of any creative event planner and promoter," Joseph said. "And the building itself, this incredible castle, evokes an almost erotic curiosity. It's a destination space right in the heart of the city."
Pictured: The Armory's military drill court.
