18 Reasons Moves Into Its New Space on Friday

Rosie Gill

The new 18 Reasons.

​In just 200 square feet, barely big enough to fit a sink and a dishwasher, 18 Reasons has been able to do an awful lot: pickling classes, special dinners, book readings, art openings, potlucks. On Friday, the nonprofit community space will finally be doubling its area with a move one block away.

According to program director Rosie Gill, the new space -- next to Bi-Rite Creamery and attached to Bi-Rite Market's commissary -- may be big enough for two counters and an expansion of the big wood table that dominates the room. But it's not going to be big enough to host TED talks or Tae-Bo classes. "We want it to stay intimate," Gill says. "I think that helps us with what we do. It's easier to build community if there are only so many people to talk to."

"What the new space is going to allow (is) us to do better what we already do," she adds. "There may be an increase in programming, but we already have events four or five nights a week. We'll have room to have a few more people for classes, but also the flexibility to perform better and with more depth."

18 Reasons will also have access to the commissary kitchen, which Bi-Rite opened earlier this summer, for the occasional knife-skills practice session or holiday pie-baking class.

They're celebrating the move with a grand opening party on Friday night, from 6 to 9 p.m. (RSVP requested). All subsequent classes on 18 Reasons' calendar will be held in the new space, though Gill says that they're paying rent on the old space through the end of the month giving them 600 square feet total through September. That's as big as a one-bedroom apartment in the Tenderloin! Imagine what you could do with all that space.

18 Reasons: 3674 18th St. (at Dolores), 241-9760, info@18reasons.org.