One of downtown San Diego’s most recognizable nightlife spaces is preparing for a new chapter. The longtime home of Fluxx Nightclub, which closed during the later stages of the pandemic in late 2021, has been purchased by cousins Chad Cline and Jason “Rocky” Nichols, the operators behind Little Italy’s historic The Waterfront Bar & Grill and a growing portfolio of well-known neighborhood bars across San Diego.
The building at Fourth Avenue and Island Street, once a centerpiece of Gaslamp Quarter nightlife, has sat dark since Fluxx shuttered its doors after more than a decade as one of the city’s highest-profile nightclubs. During its peak years, Fluxx gained national attention for its high-end production, celebrity DJs, and a revolving-door concept designed to keep the space in constant reinvention. At one point, it ranked among the highest-grossing clubs in San Diego, pulling in millions annually and placing the city on national “top club” lists.
Now, the space is under new ownership, but what comes next remains intentionally open-ended. According to Cline, the purchase includes both the building and the liquor license, though no formal concept has been locked in yet. Rather than rushing out an announcement, the new owners are taking a measured approach, signaling that they’re still in the early stages of shaping what the venue could become. Unlike their dive-bar-heavy portfolio, the former Fluxx site represents unfamiliar territory, and an opportunity to do something different…