Organizers said they want to keep the spirit of the "Harlem of the West" alive with a historic Lodge and Black-owned building.
SAN DIEGO — One of the oldest black-owned buildings in San Diego needs your help. The Clementine McDuff Elks Lodge #598 has been in the community since 1925. The building it's in right now is more than 100 years old. There's a movement to restore the space, but they need your help.
When walking inside, you can feel the rich history, energy, and all of the love that went into making the Clementine McDuff Elks Lodge one of the longest-running points of pride of place establishments in San Diego. Etta James, Nat King Cole, and Billie Holiday performed here in its' glory days. The owners say they want it to be glorious for this generation and the next.
Daniel Davis is a Trustee on the Board and treasurer for the Clementine McDuff Elks Lodge #598. "It was the center of Black entertainment, and most of those artists used to come here," Davis remembered as he relaxed in a chair in the Lodge. "We were considered number 1 on the chitterlings circuit. So this is where they usually came, and we had the biggest arena, and they could make the most money." Simmie Collins, Chairman of the Trustee Board and financial secretary for the Elks Lodge, says the group and their building on Hensley Street have a long history of serving and entertaining their community. "I came here in 1958. I didn't know what it was; I just knew it was a dancehall, and there was a line out the door that stretched from Hensley up to Imperial," Simmie remembered his first encounter with the Lodge before he became a member.
"You could get on the dance floor, and then you'd have to move because there were so many on the floor."
Simmie and Daniel both say they want to leave a thriving legacy. "I'm 83 years old. I'm not going to be here too much longer. Brother Davis is 83," Simmie adds. "We're getting older, and we're not replenishing." Daniel makes an impassioned plea saying,"No organization is going to succeed without a freshman class."
And that's where Kimberly Phillips-Pea comes in. She's been volunteering for the Elks Lodge to help bring the building and the group back into the spotlight. She's even opened an art gallery upstairs to help support the space. "We are at Goya Art Gallery and Boutique here in the Historic Elks Lodge in Logan Heights," Kim said as she proudly gave a tour of one of the only Black-owned art galleries in San Diego, found upstairs in the same building as the Elks Lodge. A week ago, Kim says, "I woke up to find out that there was a for sale sign on this 96-year-old Black-owned building." That's when she took action. The Lodge decided not to sell the building and instead wanted to invest in the space to restore it as a resource to the community it once was.
There's a GoFundMe to help raise money for the building's maintenance and upkeep. "It's fully paid for, so there's no rent or mortgage due on the building," Kim said. "But our elders have grown tired of having to maintain it. We can't allow them to do all the work," Kim pleaded. "We can't expect them to take care of it because they need our help. We don't want our elders to continue to pay out of pocket. So to help, we're working towards getting our nonprofit designation back. We're also applying to become a historical site.
As you know, when a building is 100 years the pipes are also 100 years old, so anytime there's an issue, they have fronted the bills." Kim says they've received community support online and have had community meetings to gain interest in the restoration and future of the building. Now, it's time to do the work and follow up on pledges. Kim says the building needs: about $30,000 for plumbing repairs, $2,000 for the nonprofit status maintenance, $1,500 for Historical Site status, and $30,000 for other fees and maintenance on the more than 100-year-old building.
Kim says they've had to say goodbye to one of their own in the last 24 hours, making the need even more urgent. "Mr. Willie Smith had been here for many years, ensuring the bar was open for seven days. He passed away last night."
Simmie and Daniel say they're seniors looking for the next freshman class to come and take the lead. "This is ours," Daniel said with pride. "And we want to cherish it." Simmie concludes, "A few of us, the die-hards, not gone let it die."
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