Snag a Piece of California History: 1880 Union Hotel and Saloon Is on Tap for $5.5M

For more than a century, tired travelers have stopped for a rest at The 1880 Union.

Now the historic property, a hotel with a saloon in Los Alamos, CA, is on the market for $5.5 million.

“The property itself is a historic landmark and was part of the original stagecoach stop that ran up and down California back in the 1800s,” explains Micah Brady, with the Brady Group of Sotheby’s International Realty – Santa Ynez Valley Brokerage. “It has been restored and kept quite gloriously.”

The current owners bought the building in 2016 and began refurbishing the place that had fallen into disrepair.

“The bulk of the renovations were the nonsexy stuff like electrical, plumbing, air conditioning, and a fair amount of cosmetic upgrades,” Brady says. “They spent several million dollars doing a lot of that.”

The owners were even able to enjoy some creative freedom in certain parts of the historically significant building.

“Because it’s a designated historic building, they were able to do improvements within the interior, but the exterior was a no-go zone,” Brady explains. “It gives it character. It’s like walking into a building that you would go into in the wild, wild west.”

Event space

Currently, the place is a wedding venue that a couple can rent for a 48-hour period. During that time, they have access to the eight hotel rooms, commercial kitchen, ballroom, and communal gathering spaces.

“I love the saloon—it is supercool,” Brady reports. “It isn’t open to the public. People get access to it when they do the buyout for a wedding.”

Parts of the business, including the liquor license, can convey with the sale. Brady says the current owner and business partner could even stay on to run the place while the new owners learn the ropes.

At one time during the past 100-plus years, the building was a private residence.

“There’s a manager’s room that could be reconfigured a bit to give somebody on-site a place to stay while they’re servicing their guests,” Brady notes.

He says the perfect buyer might be someone who wants to join the thriving food and wine scene in Santa Barbara County.

“This gives them an awesome opportunity to buy a historic landmark that sets the stage for them to create excellent food, serve wine, and have a bed-and-breakfast if they wanted,” Brady says. “This area has become really well known for incredible wines and food. We’re the Southern California Napa.”