Port in the Storm



Port in the Storm



Port in the Storm (Also called Port in a Storm)

Location: 4330 East Lombard Street, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Opened: Routinely referred to as one of the city's oldest lesbian bars, but I have found no date as to when it was founded

Closed: Late 2010?



Here's what Baltimore Gay Life (GL) had to say about Port in the Storm:

One of the few lesbian-centric bars in Baltimore, Port in a Storm is known for its very affordable drinks and ever-popular pool tables. In 2007, Baltimore City Paper named it the Best Lesbian Bar.

And here's what City Paper said about it when it won that award:

Highlandtown's corner bar Port in a Storm--uninviting on the outside, comforting inside--is where all the Gallagher's ladies have migrated since the Baltimore institution shut its doors, and it's easy to see why. The brick and wood front room features a pool table and a long bar that curves around in a horseshoe to the joining room where all the action is. Blue lights hang above the mirror-paneled far wall in front of the disco floor where ladies groove and everybody sings along with the loud dance music. As decked in Baltimore-festive décor as the physical space is--it's not exactly the Planet from The L-Word--there's a solid energy at Port in a Storm, even on the chill side, where a lovely lady may light your cigarette and ask your name, and a diverse crowd made up of all ages, colors, and styles chats at the tables.

A random review from GayCities:



Elijah's Fundraiser (2008)

Take cover with the wild nights at this lesbian bar
Port in the Storm is one of Baltimore's oldest lesbian bars, but they keep thing current for the ladies. Flippin' Fridays promises a night of the popular college game of Flip Cup.

And Guidemag:

Port in a Storm (4330 E Lombard St) the city's most established lesbian bar with Tuesday pool tournaments, weekend games and summer cookouts.

We know that Port in the Storm was open at least as late as June 2010, as a (male) reporter from the Baltimore Sun visited the place and filed a report. Apart from some odd obsession with a piece of string tied to the front door handle, this was his description of the place:

We enjoyed our ice cold $2.25 Buds (mine still had chunks of ice stuck to the outside of the bottle), and soaked in the scene. The bar is bigger than it looks at first glance, and square, which I love.

Port in the Storm softball team (no date)

Last night, there were only a scattering of people inside, enough to fill one side of the place. The walls are wrapped in wood paneling, and, last night, pop songs from Justin Timberlake and Rihanna played overhead.

Port in a Storm is one of the city's few lesbian bars, and it's been there a while. I'm not exactly sure where "there" is. It's kinda in the no man's land between Highlandtown and Greektown, way out at 4330 E. Lombard St. Maybe that's part of the reason why it's lasted so long. Or maybe it's the vibe. I rolled in there with two other dudes, and we didn't feel left out.

Go Magazine also stopped by for a visit in June 2010:

The outskirts of Canton are also home to Baltimore’s oldest lesbian bar, Port in a Storm (4330 E Lombard St, 410-534-0014), a friendly dive where the butches kick butt at billiards, then treat you to a beer.

Yelp reports that this place is now closed, but no date is provided. However, their last review is dated August 2010. The closing is also confirmed at Citysearch, also with no date.