The Park Merced watering hole, known to many as The Lister, has recently undergone a few changes aimed at bringing in more of a crowd from the Parkmerced community, including SF State students.
The introduction of live music every second and fourth Thursday of the month has helped create a local college bar atmosphere and appeals to a wide range of customers.
Micky St. Paul Mejia, former SF State student and booker at The Lister, first started booking bands at the bar after betting the owner he could pack the bar with customers through the attraction of live music.
“We made a little wager and it was kind of fun,” Mejia said. “We ended up bringing over a hundred people to The Lister.”
Always thinking locally first, Mejia prioritizes the booking of local bands and supporting nearby businesses.
“We’ve shown that supporting local music and business is working,” Mejia said.
The Lister has not had a reputation as being a go-to bar for SF State students, but long-time supporter of the bar and SF State student Adam Medina has noticed the recent changes.
“I knew the reputation of The Lister before I was able to legally drink there, but I didn’t really care,” Medina said. “I would say if (students) went and checked it out that they would see for themselves; it’s not as bad as its reputation.”
Mike Daily, co-owner of The Lister, said these improvements are just the beginning of ideas he has to collaborate with local artists and students.
“We have a couple of ideas we’re shooting around right now with approaching the art department and trying to get some student art up on the walls and just stuff like that, stuff that supports the SF State community,” Daily said.
With the regularly scheduled Wednesday karaoke nights and Thursday college nights, the bar is continually working to entice students to walk through its doors.
“We want to tap into the college kids, you know in the SF State crowd, or even just a Park Merced crowd,” Mejia said.
The bar has much to offer students with 30 different beers on tap ranging from $4-$7 and a large student crowd during local band performances.
“We’re a big open space right next to the college with great beer on draft and a pretty sweet back patio,” Daily said. “I mean people should just come check it out.”
