A mural commemorating the life of Tenderloin celebrity Bubbles is underway on the roll-up metal door at Tender Wine Bar on Geary Street.
Craig Lipton, a partner at Tender Wine Bar and local real estate investor and manager, commissioned the mural to honor the memory of queer artist and activist Bubbles, also known as Anthony Torres.
Bubbles, 44, suffered fatal wounds in a shooting on September 9th, 2017, just outside of the New Century nightclub at 816 Larkin St., near Myrtle. Police are seeking suspect Hieu Trung Nguyen, 30, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Lipton, who owns Maven Maintenance, Inc., is covering the cost of the muralist’s labor and materials.
“I had met Bubbles several times and saw him around the neighborhood,” Lipton told Hoodline. “He knew a lot of my friends as well.”
The wine bar on Geary between Hyde and Larkin streets is only a few blocks from where Bubbles was murdered.
The muralist, Danny Ayala, responded to a Craigslist ad Lipton posted seeking someone “interested and capable” of painting a tribute to Bubbles.
Ayala was born in Mexico City, moved to California in 2001, and currently lives in Oakland. His portfolio includes murals and paintings, as well as studio pieces comprised largely of reclaimed materials.
Lipton manages several properties in the Tenderloin and said he may commission Ayala to do additional work in the future if the Bubbles tribute turns out well.
