Oscar’s Palm Springs in dire financial situation, asking for community support
Athena Jreij
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — Oscar’s in Palm Springs has set a $40,000 goal on Gofundme asking for the community’s support to keep it’s doors open.
Restaurant owner, Dan Gore, says the Palm Springs landmark is in a dire financial situation due to rising operational and utility costs, repairs, slow summer tourism and increased financial pressure during the Valley’s peak season.
“The air conditioning went out over the summer. It was a huge strain on us to get that replaced. I mean, everything seems to go up. The vendor, the liquor, the food, it’s all continuing to rise, and with the locals who are on a fixed budget, you know, it’s hard to bring the locals in when our prices are continuing to go up,” Gore said.
That AC repair cost them nearly $50,000 and the expenses didn’t end there.
“Our Edison bill runs between $4-5,000 every month during the summer. Insurance has gone up astronomically. If anyone’s had a business and has as many place employees as I have, workers comp insurance, general liability, medical, health insurance for my management team. It all adds up very quickly,” he said.
Gore says those issues have been made worse with slow summers and the expectation of less tourism this year. He says they’ve reported 30% less business compared to last season.
“We’re totally seeking a quarter of $1 million. We don’t want any more band aids. We’ve been on a band aid for several years now, and last summer was very bad for many, many people, and it was hard to recover from last summer.”
Oscar’s isn’t the only LGBTQ-owned business struggling this year, with many owners turning to Gofundme for community support as well. The platform reports over $8 million was fundraised in more than 130,000 donations in 2025 for LGBTQ businesses, covering operating costs, rent and utilities.
For drag performer Lawanda Jackson, a shuttered Oscar’s means one less place for their community to gather.
“When you come here, you have a home. You have a place you can mingle with other guys your age. You can’t do that online. You can’t go to the bars at our age anymore because everything has changed. This gives us reason, gives us vision, and it gives us a place to hug ourselves,” Jackson said.
If you’re interested in supporting Oscar’s, visit: Save Oscar’s Palm Springs.