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Public Tours Every Saturday at 2:00pm
509 Adams Street at West 6th Street
Santa Rosa, CA
What is Chop’s?
Chop’s is the DeMeo Teen Club, designed as a place where Santa Rosa teens can just hang out or creatively
express themselves through art, music and other activities. It is named after Charles “Chop” DeMeo, a former
Santa Rosa attorney and mayor who wanted young people to have their own place to go after school.
About Charles DeMeo
Charles DeMeo personifies the values of hard work, perseverance, ambition and compassion. Raised by a single mother,
taking any work he could find, he put himself through law school, opened a practice with his brother, Nick, during the
Depression and became Santa Rosa’s first Italian-American mayor. Childless, and a widower since 1971, he lived modestly,
invested wisely and never forgot what it was like to be young and poor.
Why “Chop’s”?
Charles “Chop” DeMeo, who saw teens as assets to the community, not as problems to be solved left the bulk of his estate,
more than $15 million, to the Sonoma County Community Foundation in May, 1995. Part of the money was to be used to serve
Santa Rosa youth through programs and facilities and part was to be used to fund homeless programs with primary emphasis upon
mothers with young families.
Through a series of public meetings, a teen survey and public hearings, the plans for a teen club took shape. Once a site was
identified and approved, the question of what to call the teen club arose – and the answer was obvious: it would be named after
the man who made it all possible, the man who was known to his friends and family as “Chop.”
What is Chop’s?
Chop’s is the DeMeo Teen Club, designed as a place where Santa Rosa teens can just hang out or creatively express themselves
through art, music and other activities. It is named after Charles “Chop” DeMeo, a former Santa Rosa attorney and mayor who wanted
young people to have their own place to go after school.
What is the connection to Community Foundation Sonoma County?
When Charles DeMeo left his legacy to the Community Foundation, he left instructions that part be used to create a facility and
programs for Santa Rosa youth and part be used to help the homeless of Sonoma County with emphasis on mothers with young
families. Half of the money was to go into an endowment fund that would provide ongoing income and the other half into an expendable
fund. An advisory board was formed by the Community Foundation to help guide the activities of the DeMeo Funds and to work with youth,
youth service providers and various city and neighborhood representatives to plan a teen club. In 1997 the DeMeo Teen Club was incorporated
as a supporting organization of the Community Foundation Sonoma County (a separate nonprofit organization under the umbrella of the
Community Foundation). The governing board was composed of the DeMeo Advisory Board and interagency collaborative representatives.
Two teens were elected to the governing board to assure that the voices of Santa Rosa youth would be heard as the teen club was planned.
Representatives from the Railroad Square Merchant's Association and the West End Neighborhood Association were also included.
Who can use Chop’s?
Because Mr. DeMeo designated his gift for Santa Rosa youth, Chop’s is for students
aged 12-18, in grades 7 through 12 who live in and/or
attend school in Santa Rosa. Elementary school and Junior College students are not eligible for membership. Limited numbers of guest
passes for students from other areas will be available to members.
Where is it located?
On the corner of 6th and Adams Street, in Railroad Square.
What are the hours?
Monday-Thursday, 3:00 to 9:00 pm
Friday, 3:00 to 11:00 pm
Saturday, noon to 11:00 pm
Closed on Sunday
What are the dues?
Dues are $1 year for Santa Rosa students.
What kind of facilities does Chop’s offer?
Chop’s has a computer lab, recording studio, teaching kitchen, art studio, gym with climbing wall, a café and a nightclub.
Instructors will be available to assist in the use of these facilities.
For additional information, go to www.chopsonline.com .
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