WEHO TIMES’ breaking news story on the closure of the Faultline Bar at 4216 Melrose Avenue, has garnered significant attention, including from those who have questioned our story based on a first-person account.
Let us restate our reporting on this matter.
On Saturday, January 16, at roughly 12:00 p.m., WEHO TIMES took the initiative to step outside its West Hollywood bubble and drive to 4216 Melrose Avenue to assess whether the Faultline Bar was open or closed with the intent of reporting our findings to our readers – first hand and in person. We met Mr. Armando Cabana inside the Bar. He introduced himself as a partner in the ownership of a new business at the space, and he confirmed it is no longer operating as, or affiliated with the Faultline Bar that so many Wehoans and Angelenos know and love.
Mr Cabana is on the record: “Faultline Bar is long gone,” he told WEHO TIMES. “The place was up for grabs. The owners just left it and it was a blessing in disguise…” And WEHO TIMES provided an oral and eyewitness account of that interview to support Mr Cabana’s claim noted in our previous article with a gallery of photos.
WEHO TIMES was there. The Faultline Bar is indeed closed and no longer at this location – of that, there is no question. While a business or legal entity may continue to exist on paper, and while a new version of the venue may, apparently, open at some point in the future at a different location, the Faultline Bar on Melrose Avenue is gone. The space is being converted into a new business.
A statement using the pseudonym “Ruby De Faultline” provides a conflicting and contradicting statement to our report on the bar’s social media platforms:
“FAULTLINE BAR STILL IN BUSINESS – WEHO TIMES STORY WRONG
The Faultline Bar is still in business. The report in the Weho Times of January 17, 2021, is wrong. The owners are currently in negotiations for a new destination for the Faultline. All licenses and commitments remain in place, despite the impact of COVID on all bars in Los Angeles, which have been closed since March 15, 2020.
The Faultline is still alive.
The owners plan to re-open when allowed by State and Local officials. Statements describing the Faultline and its exit from Melrose Avenue in the Weho Times’ story are factually incorrect. It should be noted that the WeHo Times did not contact the owners of the Faultline Bar for comment prior to publishing their inaccurate story…”
= = =
Ruby De Faultline has challenged our reporting, so WEHO TIMES challenges Ruby De Faultline to answer the following direct question to verify their claim that “the Faultline Bar is still in business” at the Melrose Avenue space.
- If the Faultline Bar is still open for business at 4216 Melrose Avenue, why has all Faultline signage been removed from the building where the bar was founded?
- Exactly who is Mr. Armando Cabana and why is he saying he’s a new owner of the Faultline space (we noticed you failed to mention his name in your statement)?
- Why is there a sign on the building saying the space is available for film/event/bar/lounge, and why does the phone number on that sign belong to one Mr. Armando Cabana?
- Why is the erotic art and everything associated with the Faultline Bar (aside from the photo booth) no longer at 4216 Melrose Avenue?
- Why is the bar being redeveloped with the addition of a new shower, dry sauna and why was the DJ booth area demolished?
- If the Faultline Bar owners are negotiating a “new destination,” according to your statement, does this confirm our report that Faultline Bar has indeed closed for good at its founding location?
- OR if “Statements describing the Faultline and its exit from Melrose Avenue in the Weho Times’ story are factually incorrect,” also according to your statement, is the Faultline Bar stating ON THE RECORD that Faultline Bar is operating or will continue to operate at 4216 Melrose Avenue?
This statement is an open invitation to the persons of the Faultline leadership team to contact WEHO TIMES to assist us in separating fact from fiction.
We are also asking the person behind the pseudonym Ruby De Faultline and the Faultline social media team to please correct or remove their statement alleging that we reported the closure of the Gym Bar incorrectly. That statement is false. We stand by our report that Gym Bar closed permanently at 8737 Santa Monica Blvd. We posted the statement by the bar’s owners, verbatim, stating it was closed and later wrote a follow-up piece about it possibly reopening at a different location in WeHo. The Faultline Bar’s claim that our reporting had to be corrected four months later is false and smacks of retaliation aimed to harm the public trust of our readership and damage our livelihood in potential advertising revenue.
To our readers, we apologize for any outrage or confusion as a result of this back and forth. WEHO TIMES is not in the business of spreading dishonest information. If you do not believe what was reported in Mr. Armando Cabana’s interview, we ask that you look at the photos we provide in the article and let you judge for yourselves whether or not the Faultline Bar has in fact left the building.
In closing, we are happy to learn that Faultline Bar is still in business and we are eager to followup with any new developments to our Faultline story regarding the bar’s future establishment.
Ruby De Fresno completely ruined the Faultline. Why on earth would she bother to recreate that weak mess somewhere else?
This new self righteous and self service post (not article) proves how biased and dysfunctional the left wing news has become along with CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS and NBC – all media has turned into snarky comments, shade and commentary of the leftist views. The writer of this post showed his privilege by having to drive all the way to east LA ( on his way to Flex) but also stopped at the bar to speak to a squatter and then left back to Flex.
You snarky halfwit rightwing Trump supporter. Everybody knows the Flex is closed. What’s wrong with you?
Your continued failure to speak directly with the owners of Faultline about their plans is unfortunate. This mainstay of Los Angeles gay culture, which extends well beyond WeHo, was obviously decimated by COVID restrictions and is clearly trying to reinvent itself in a new location. They’re not ready to announce the specifics of what and where that will be, but their effort should be championed rather than presented with withering skepticism. Yes, clearly the former owners of Faultline have given up their space at 4216 Melrose. But your story cannot be complete without speaking directly with Faultline’s owners. I’m sure… Read more »
Ok so you proved the point (I guess), but The tone of this response is tacky and messy. It screams a desperate cry to prove you right and somebody else wrong. You would never see a journalism outlet report like this. The fact is you all reported this bar was close with insight from everyone excepte the real owners and made everybody believe they closed down when in reality they are moving and restructuring. And statements like “oh we went outside out WEHO bubble”. What kinda elitist statement is that? Even with no ill-intent, that was not well thought through.… Read more »
Thanks for your comment. The Faultline Bar made this messy when they decided to lie. You say they’re moving and restructuring? How do you know this? They clearly state: “Statements describing the Faultline and its exit from Melrose Avenue in the Weho Times’ story are factually incorrect.” They’re saying they’re still at the Melrose location. They lied to you. They’re giving their patrons false hope to save face. Everyone has been asking them if they were closing for months and they said nothing. They emptied out that building and said nothing. That iconic sign was thrown in the trash and they… Read more »
I think you are reading their statement wrong. They are saying that they are exiting from Melrose Ave, but not closing. (Earlier in their statement, they clearly say they are looking at a new location) It’s pretty poorly written. Too bad you couldnt actually talk to them.
Not sure what statement you are reading. The Faultline says the WEHO TIMES report is wrong in big bold letters. It says the report is factually incorrect. Meanwhile they are closed. If you close and plan to reopen somewhere else, you are still closed. You can’t say you are open when you are closed. I don’t understand the big fuss. Just tell the truth. And I do agree with you I think Mr Murillo’s failure to contact them directly is very unfortunate, but kudos for them for doubling down and reporting the truth.
Oh pu’leeezzze Mary. I’m on Paulo’s side. Who was this DumDum that spoke for the business then?
Faultline is clearly looking for a NEW location and they were afraid that the readers of the initial article would infer a permanent closure to the brand. It’s simple and did not need that inflammatory response from the Faultline people. Weho Times has nothing to apologize for. If anything, Faultline should have addressed everything that was addressed here (the removal of art and signs, for example) themselves in real time. Did they think no one would catch wind of it!?!?
I’m so sure Faultline has been clear about anything. They still won’t get honest with their fans.
I’m NOT so sure Faultline has been clear about anything.
OMG, girl. “fourth”? It’s “back and forth”. Girl.
OMG gurl, you’re so RIGHT!!! Thanks gurl.
Thank you for at least spelling GURL correctly!! My faith in humanity has “bean” restored.