Cinebar, that venerable watering hole located at 69 E. San Fernando Street, may soon be sold, according to sources familiar with the situation.

However, fans of the long-running dive—which pours stiff drinks at easy-to-swallow prices—need not fret, at least not right now, according to Cinebar’s manager, who goes by Kate Skate.

Skate has been serving as the bar’s executor since the owners died, in 2009 and 2011, respectively. In a statement on her Facebook page she wrote that she is in the midst of negotiations with a potential buyer. “I cannot give details, but rest assured the kids ain’t going nowhere if I have a say,” she wrote, adding that nothing has been finalized and promising she will release more details when she knows more.

Furthermore, just because the bar changes ownership doesn’t mean the bar will change much at all. One Cinebar regular who asked not to be named said it would be “pretty dumb” to change the bar’s dependable formula, which draws a steady stream of patrons day in and day out.

Yesterday, Jan. 6, a notice of application for ownership change was posted outside the bar (see above), listing POS Enterprises as the applicant. Cinebar has regularly been recognized by Metro—winning “Best Dive Bar” on numerous occasions in Metro‘s Best Of issue.

Staff from Cinebar posed for this shot when the bar won back in 2011:

Read Skate’s full statement here:

Hey friends, since someone decided to post a pic of the application, which is an application only, I thought I would say a little something to quell gossip and rumors as well as true concern by our loyal friends. The owners of Cinebar passed in 2009, and 2011 respectively. The bar has been in court since then. The court ruled mandatory sale, which is a large amount I cannot disclose. I did my best as executor along with the staff, but the judge ruled a sale must happen. I cannot give details, but rest assured the kids ain’t going nowhere if I have a say when I meet with the new guy!Later on when I have a set plan with prospective new owner, I will post again. Thanks, love you all. Cheers!

For those looking for a true dive drinking experience, the self-labeled Dive Bar on Santa Clara Street, San Jose, is a flagrant case of false advertising. Absent are the shady atmosphere, run-down appearance and rough crowd that connote a dive bar. Instead drinkers are treated to a hip, stylish place, one flashier and more mainstream than any dive. Not that anyone really complains, because Dive Bar is a good place to sit and have a drink.

Even the drunkest wanderer can’t miss Dive Bar. A large, red and yellow neon sign hangs over the entrance; a diver, in a one piece bathing suit and cap, face-planting onto the words “Dive Bar.” Just inside the front door is an expansive lobby: two wall-hugging rows of red leather booths border a large center aisle, each row flanked by a line of round knee-high tables and soft-as-pillows wraparound lounge chairs.

Just past the lounge is the bar;a heavy wood fixture of counter top and glass cabinets. On the center of the bar sits an eye-catching display of commonly ordered hard liquor, bottles stacked side by side under an arch of yellow flourescents. Directly opposite the counter are chairs and round particle-board Ikea tables lined against a red wooden wall.

The back of Dive Bar accommodates a separate spacious room. Accessible through a doorway in a brick wall, it presents a striking contrast to the rest of the joint. Instead of the “red” that characterizes the lounge and bar area, the back is a blue concrete room. On one side is a pay-to-play pool table (75 cents per game), while against the opposite wall is a row of tables and chairs—the perfect place to watch the felted action. A DJ booth sits in the corner by a blue neon martini glass on the wall, where DJs spin Thursday through Saturday.

Dive Bar attracts an eclectic crowd of SJSU students, young urban professionals and middle-aged patrons. Hipsters probably come as well, lured by the ironic use of the name, but hipsters have become so mainstream, they are difficult to distinguish nowadays. Dive Bar has a number of specials to attract customers—usually discounted well and draft drinks, and no cover charges on DJ nights—and as a result, Dive Bar is a fairly popular establishment. Groups of friends cluster around tables while couples occupy the stools. Those who plan to attend might want to arrive early. Those wraparound lounge chairs are perfect to sink into after a day’s work.

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Dive Bar
78 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose