The Lower Haight just lost its spiritual sanctuary, and tech bros are mourning harder than their meditation apps can handle.

The Center, a beloved community space that transformed from a quirky tea house into a wellness wonderland, is shutting down permanently on June 22nd. Co-founder Zack Wexler-Beron dropped the bombshell announcement, leaving behind a legacy of breathwork sessions, tantric massage workshops, and more authentic relating conversations than a polyamorous Reddit thread.

The Rise and Fall of San Francisco’s Quirkiest Hangout

For years, The Center was the epitome of Bay Area weirdness - a place where techies, artists, and spiritual practitioners could converge over herbal tea and ecstatic dance. With dozens of volunteers brewing kombucha and hosting everything from yoga to open-mic nights, it became more than just a venue - it was a cultural phenomenon.

Permit Problems and Community Exodus

But paradise couldn’t last forever. Permit issues forced them to stop selling snacks, co-founders bailed to create a more upscale members club, and their intentional living community collapsed faster than a startup’s Series A funding. The final blow came when housing disputes pushed out 25 community residents.

The Future of Weird San Francisco

Wexler-Beron remains optimistic, hinting that “something new will come”. Translation: expect another wellness space to rise from the ashes, probably with even more kombucha and marginally less bureaucratic drama.

Until then, RIP The Center - you were too pure for this tech-driven world.