Two of downtown Phoenix’s best-known nightspots, Bar Smith and neighboring Monarch Theatre on Washington Street, suddenly went silent last Sunday after the building owners changed the locks. Regulars and promoters driving past the block found stages dark and a rooftop that usually hosted open-air DJs empty, with owners saying the move came just hours after long-running lease talks fell apart.
Owner Says Lease Talks Crumbled, Then the Locks Changed
Sean Badger, who performs as DJ Senbad and has run both venues for years, says the property owners locked the clubs out following a breakdown in negotiations. “It’s all very convoluted and a lot of weird shit has gone on,” Badger told Phoenix New Times, which first reported the shutdown. According to Badger, the clubs had been operating month to month since 2024 while he tried to secure a longer lease.
Two Venues That Helped Define the Downtown Weekend
Bar Smith built its reputation on rooftop sessions and late-night house nights, giving Washington Street a regular soundtrack. Monarch Theatre, with its multiroom layout, drew touring acts along with hip-hop and Latin dance crowds. The Downtown Phoenix Partnership lists Monarch as a key music venue on Washington Street, and local business directories list Bar Smith on the same block. Together, the two spots helped anchor the late-night scene that shapes much of downtown’s weekend life.
Demand Letter, $3.3 Million Listing and a Liquor License in Limbo
Badger says the landlords, identified in county records as the Liebhaber Family Partnership, sent a demand letter seeking unpaid rent and property taxes going back to 2005, a claim he calls outlandish. As reported by Phoenix New Times, negotiations collapsed one morning and the locks were changed hours later. That same day, a commercial listing for 130–134 E Washington Street appeared with a $3.3 million asking price, according to a public real-estate listing.
Badger says he still controls the clubs’ liquor license and plans to relocate it while pursuing legal options. He has also hired counsel to try to negotiate a resolution…