Three downtown bars that tered to a gay clientele after dark.
Contents:
- THE SAFARI BAR: A GAY BAR, A ZOO, BOGNOR REGIS, 1983…
- THE 5 BEST MOSW GAY CLUBS & BARSSEE ALL THGS TO DOGAY CLUBS & BARS MOSW
- 1999 PORTLAND GAY HISTORY WALKG TOUR
THE SAFARI BAR: A GAY BAR, A ZOO, BOGNOR REGIS, 1983…
* the zoo gay bar *
In Dallas’ pre-Stonewall days, there were only a handful of gay bars the cy, and they weren’t wily known beyond those who equented them. Those were the days when “homosexual behavr” was illegal, and vice raids on gay bars and clubs were equent occurrenc. There was the well-appoted Le Bof Sur Le To (later renamed Villa Fontana), one of Dallas’ earlit gay bars, loted on Skil Street near Exall Park the area now known as Bryan Place, and there were rougher, seedier plac, generally downtown.
Three of those downtown bars (which apparently tered to a “straight” clientele durg the day and a gay clientele at night) were Gene’s Mic Bar and The Lasso — both on S. The three downtown bars, popular as hangouts for gay men, had their heyday the 1960s and ’70s.
Read more about Dallas’ gay bar scene the article I wrote for Central Track, “Hidn Pla Sight, A Photo History of Dallas’ Gay Bars of the 1970s, ” here. More on the the persistent arrts and police harassment that went on gay clubs Dallas for many, many years n be found the Dallas Voice article by David Webb, “DPD Vice Un Wag 50-Year War Agast Gay Men” (Aug.
THE 5 BEST MOSW GAY CLUBS & BARSSEE ALL THGS TO DOGAY CLUBS & BARS MOSW
Type: Gay Bar wh Live Entertament. But did ed happen: a gay bar, a zoo, Bognor Regis, 1983. Barrie remembers beg approached by fellow gay DJ Ian Hardg, who he had met through the Cairo Club Ltlehampton, and who knew Mike, the manager of Bognor Zoo.
“Ian ntacted me and a uple of others to say ‘Shall we try somethg wh the zoo, you know, gay nights or somethg? Ian, Barrie and another gay iend Andy beme the Safari Bar DJs.
1999 PORTLAND GAY HISTORY WALKG TOUR
The bar was gay on Wednday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
To enurage punters on a Wednday eveng the Safari Bar offered a Movie Ne via a huge back projectn TV, although Barrie has nfsed “We ed to crank the mic up and have gay porn playg. Wh a Btalist ncrete shoppg mall and r park, an external lift took you to the club which weled a gay crowd on Wedndays. I might have flirted a b wh some of the ctomers… fact my first gay sex was wh someone I met Granny’s nightspot – a hairdrser lled Mrice.