For families around the Bay Area, from weddings, birthdays, and banquets, the historic Top of the Mark is the place to celebrate a special occasion or honor the memory of a loved one.
On Tuesday, the famed cocktail lounge turned back the hands of time and threw a party —complete with a big band, vintage hats and gloves, and plenty of cold champagne.
“We’re very excited. We finally made it to 85, starting way back in May of 1939,” said Michael Pace.
Pace is the General Manager of the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, where 19 floors up sits the Top of the Mark. The location was formerly an 11-room penthouse.
Pace explained that at the end of Prohibition, the owner George Smith was determined to go forward with a very bold idea to convert the penthouse into a sky lounge . No one had ever had a rooftop bar in the entire city of San Francisco.
It promised to be spectacular, with its location at the highest point in the city. However, Smith was concerned no one would travel 19 floors up to have a drink and view the city.