Hip-hop artist Tarli performing May 7 at Blush during the Homegrown Music Festival. (Photo by Paul Lundgren)

Owners of Blush, a community-based art gallery, music venue and drinking establishment, have announced it will close at the end of May.

Daniel Norgard and Mike Preston wrote in a Facebook post that although the business had struggled to make it through the COVID-19 pandemic, they were notified in February that the building’s new ownership was terminating their lease. Life House, a nonprofit that provides services to homeless youth, purchased the building in October 2020. According to the Facebook announcement from Blush, Life House will expand its services into the nightclub space.

Blush opened in August 2017 at 18 N. First Ave. W., a space that had long been the home of Gopher Shoe Repair. It recently hosted nine bands during the Homegrown Music Festival and has shows scheduled for May 13-14. “The final week of the month will feature a multi-day celebration of all that we have made together, featuring some of our nearest and dearest artists,” the Facebook announcement noted.

The full announcement from Blush appears below.