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<\/p>\nFor the past nine years, if you\u2019re the kind of person who nerds out on Star Wars, Marvel, Game of Thrones, or any nerd franchise that exists in the galaxy, you\u2019ll have found your community at Scum and Villainy Cantina in Hollywood.<\/p>\n
While the exterior looks like just another unassuming business on the often bustling street, walking in reveals a highly curated space honoring every facet of nerd culture down to the last detail. The design honors the Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Custom cocktails allude to different fandoms with names like \u201cSauron Sour\u201d and \u201cHarley Quinn.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Scum & Villainy Cantina’s bar may look familiar.<\/p>\n
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Jim Donnelly<\/p>\n
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Courtesy Scum & Villainy<\/p>\n
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Most importantly, the people enjoying the space are openly expressing their love for these stories and universes, whether that be through intricate costumes or lively debate. It\u2019s a scene one might find after (or before) a sci-fi convention, which is exactly what J.C. Reifenberg, co-owner of Scum and Villainy, intended.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe wanted to create the post-convention bar experience every night of the week,\u201d Reifenberg said. <\/p>\n
As a veteran of such conventions, he\u2019s seen Mark Hamill (who played Luke Skywalker) speak numerous times, but he doesn\u2019t remember any of the speeches. He does remember the people he met at the bar when the long day was over.<\/p>\n
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Revel in nerd culture (costumes encouraged) at Scum & Villainy.<\/p>\n
“The best part about fandom is the community. That\u2019s what people crave,\u201d Reifenberg said. \u201cThis geek world has grown up with the kids that fell in love with it and continues to offer comfort, companionship, friendship and opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Scum & Villainy Cantina in Hollywood.<\/p>\n
Reifenberg is now taking that concept and doubling down, hoping to create not just another gathering place, but a community hub for makers and creators to learn the craft.<\/p>\n
Expanding to Burbank<\/p>\n
For the past eight months, he and his wife, Jen Smith, who designed the interior of both establishments, have been crowdsourcing to raise $1 million for Scum and Villainy: Rendezvous, which they hope to open in Burbank, steps below the AMC 16. It\u2019s certainly attracting interest; so far the pair have raised more than $600,000 toward the goal.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784991019_627_.jpeg\")
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Scum & Villainy, open to people of all galaxies.<\/p>\n
(<\/p>\n
Jim Donnelly<\/p>\n
\/<\/p>\n
Courtesy Scum & Villainy<\/p>\n
)<\/p>\n
Reifenberg said he can\u2019t confirm an official launch date because they\u2019re waiting on their permits from the Department of Planning in Burbank. But they are shooting to open by the time Avengers: Doomsday comes out on Dec. 18.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal is for people to watch Avengers and walk down the steps to Rendezvous with everybody in the movie theater,\u201d Reifenberg said. \u201cWe\u2019ll have \u2018No spoilers\u2019 signs up until the last showing of the night is over.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new space is 5,200 square feet over two floors. The bottom floor is for the post-convention hangs, similar to the current Scum and Villainy. Upstairs, there will be private dining and a professional podcast and livestreaming studio. Reel Rejects, the movie and television commentary channel on YouTube, is partnering with Rendezvous for live events and recording.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a multi-purpose room hosting classes taught by entertainment professionals, for which they\u2019ll be tapping some industry heavy hitters. After running Scum and Villainy and working in film and television, including many projects with fellow super nerd Kevin Smith, Reifenberg and Smith have come to know Marc Bernardin (who wrote episodes of Batman: Caped Crusader and Eyes of Wakanda), Fon Davis (who worked at George Lucas\u2019s visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic), and many more professionals behind geek franchises.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m connected to all these wonderful makers, and these people love to share what they learned,\u201d Reifenberg said, noting that when he grew up in Chicago, not only was there not nearly as much of an industry for this kind of work, but any time he would share his big ideas, his peers would shoot them down as impossible. Not here in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
\u201cLos Angeles is a city of dreamers,\u201d Reifenberg said. \u201cI remember how magical and untouchable these things were. What can I do to help inspire the next kid to do an impossible thing?\u201d<\/p>\n
Fundraising for it<\/p>\n