In the days before civil unions and Grindr it was the only place men and women of the community could gather and know there was safety in numbers - and if they found someone to share an evening with or just make a new friend, all the better.Īs the world outside the dimly lit gay bars of the Mile High City evolves, the question bears asking: what are bar owners and managers doing inside to keep the kegs flowing as usual? The most basic role of a gay bar has always been its ability to foster a safe place for the LGBT community.
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And as our community and political fight matures - from gay liberation in the 1970s to full marriage equality in the 2010s - more gay men and lesbians are finding themselves farther away from the gayborhood and in suburbs raising families. New mobile apps with geolocation services allow gay men the ability to find one another for dates and relationships without ever leaving the couch. The city has rapidly become more accessible and inclusive, and now the most unabashed same-sex couples can hold hands walking through Larimer Square and have dinner in Wash Park as they can in the traditional safe haven of Capitol Hill. Within the last five years Denver’s gay and lesbian culture hasn’t seen this much cultural upheaval since the AIDS epidemic when a generation of leaders and community members died. It’s an observation repeated from a half-dozen gay bar managers and owners, but one I hadn’t been expecting given the rapid cultural changes in the LGBT community, especially for a skeptic like me. Nelms and I find a spot inside away from the Saturday congregation. One appears to be celebrating a birthday. The crowd is a mix of off duty employees, regulars, a few pockets of friends. It’s a warm October afternoon, the bar is offering a $5 beer bust. What do you miss? Add your favorites in the comments.The next afternoon I find Charlie’s General Manager John Nelms on the patio. Just last week, Denver lost Paris on the Platte. Goodfriends, from the same team behind Racines The Bagel Nosh, Rodney's, and Houlihan's, all in Tamarac Square, now a Super Targetįourth Story, above the Tattered Cover, in a building that now houses Pura Vida spa Josephina's on 17th, which was later sold to Las Margaritas, and is now home to Argyll Whisky Beer The Lazy Dog, now home to Hacienda Colorado.Īix, which was later Olivea under different ownership, and is now home to Beast and Bottle. The Riveria, iconically known as The Riv, now Las Delicias Koo Koo Roo California Kitchen, a space that was released to Hapa Sushi Pagliacci's, now the Lumina complex under construction Marvelous Marv's, which became Ebbets Field in Brooks Towers Shakey's Pizza, now Piatti in Cherry CreekĪdega, in the current Venice space in Lodo Straight Johnsons, a spot for great pizza with black lights in case you were high Z Tejas, in Park Meadows, later sold to Thai Basil Hi Ricki, later released to Sambucca, now three separate bars Soapy Smiths, later Martini Ranch, now Euclid Hall Lime in Larimer Square, the soon-to-open Milk & Honey What else has closed that friend of Eater mentioned missing? Here are a few:
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Mexicali later Del Mar Crab House, now Osteria Marco.
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If you want a full list, here are the 29 shuttered eateries and bars.Ĭadillac Ranch, in the current Tamayo space We were curious: How many of these places are still around? How many stood the test of time? Twenty-nine, ranging from Tante Louise to Strings are no longer around while 20, Sushi Den, Avenue Grill, and Barolo Grill among them. It appears that the mashup of matchboxes was created courtesy of the Food Bank of the Rockies as the phone number at the bottom of the poster is the one of the organization. When exactly this was taken remains unclear, but City Spirit Cafe was still open and that means it was after 1997. Inside the great box of treasures that is the three decade of Racineslaid this poster, a photo of 49 matchboxes from just as many Denver restaurants and bars.