Lerma’s Live Conjunto Music Venue

Part of Poder del Pueblo

After more than a decade of community-led efforts to prevent demolition and raise the funds needed for preservation, Lerma’s Nite Club proudly reopened to the public on July 23, 2023 in its original home—the iconic 10,000-square-foot building on North Zarzamora Street in San Antonio, Texas.

Lerma’s holds a deeply rooted place in the heart of San Antonio’s Westside. Established in the 1940s, the club became a cornerstone of the city’s vibrant Conjunto music scene and played a pivotal role in the rise of Tejano music and other Latino genres. Generations of artists and community members have passed through its doors, making Lerma’s a lasting symbol of cultural legacy and resilience.

(Fun fact: Lerma’s also served as a filming location for Selena, the movie.)

Before the City of San Antonio closed the building in 2010 due to code violations, Lerma’s was approaching 60 years of continuous live conjunto music, earning its place as the longest-running live conjunto dance hall. The building is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its cultural and historical significance.

Since then, community members and Buena gente have led neighborhood surveys and listening efforts to better understand local needs and to envision future uses for the space—ensuring that any new chapter for Lerma’s honors its legacy while keeping its culture and history alive for generations to come.

Today, portions of Lerma’s are already serving the community. One section of the building is home to Conjunto Heritage Taller, while another is being developed by Bexar County into a BiblioTech location—Bexar County’s free digital library system, available to all county residents and employees.

While the space is partially complete and open to the public, significant work remains to fully restore and activate the building for long-term community use.

If you would like to help in renovating the remaining portion of Lerma’s and join our historic preservation effort please go to our donation page >here< or contact the Esperanza at 210-228-0201.