Chez Madame Arthur

2170 Rue Bishop today

Chez Madame Arthur

Location: 2170 Bishop Street, Montreal, Canada

Opened: 1971

Closed: 1975

I found the first reference to Chez Madame Arthur in an article by Julie A. Podmore called "Gone 'underground'? Lesbian visibility and the consolidation of queer space in Montreal." It is an interesting piece, though written in a somewhat dense, academic style. I am reproducing what Podmore said about Chez Madame Arthur below, though without all the citation data.

In 1978, Marie-Claire Blais published Les nuits de l'Underground [Nights in the Underground], a novel that described the night world of Montreal lesbian bars in the 1970s. Much of the story was set in 'The Underground,' a fictitious bar widely believed to be Chez Madame Arthur, a bar that was located on Bishop Street from 1971 to 1975. This 1970s location represents an important shift in both the lesbian and gay geographies of Montreal. Chez Madame Arthur was part of a small cluster of bars serving a lesbian clientele that developed to the west of the established gay district on Stanley Street after 1968. Between 1968 and 1981 there were six lesbian bars located in this area, including Chez Madame Arthur, Chez Jilly's and Chez Babyface.

Podmore goes on to observe that all these lesbian bars were somewhat dispersed from one another in location, and were largely located outside the larger gay male district.

There is also a discussion of a 1974 boycott of Chez Madame Arthur over harassment by the male bar staff and owners.

Then there is this discussion of Chez Madame Arthur in Gay Studies from the French Cultures:

In the 1970s, lesbian bars opened in various parts of the city [i.e. Montreal]. The early years of the decade were a transitional period. One popular bar of the time, Chez Madame Arthur, benefitted from a convergence of favorable conditions: police surveillance was at a minimum, the feminist and gay movements were in full swing and a number of regular customers were developing a collective sense of lesbian identity. In terms of age, ethnic origin and social status, the club attracted a more varied clientele than its predecessors.

To find out more about the 1974 boycott, see here, though the translation from the French is rather awkward.

Eden

Eden

Eden

Location: 3090 Downing Street, Denver, Colorado, USA

Opened: August 2011

Closed: 2013

Like any new establishment, Eden opened with great hopes. Here's the August 2011 birth announcement from Denver Westword:

Eden is the latest revamp of the capacious space at 3090 Downing Street that previously held Swallows, Blackberries Bar and Tosh's Hacienda, among others. Opened by the folks behind Tracks, who now own the building, Eden is designed as a lesbian bar.

"We appreciate the spectrum, of course," says general manager Brittany Joseph. "We're a women's bar, but we are a garden and celebrate all flowers that are blooming."

After telling us all about the great vegetarian food, we're provided with the following description of the premises:

The club, which is housed in what was once a church, covers three floors and has two patios, both sporting lime green walls painted with leaf-like designs -- the garden of Eden. The large foyer is covered with artwork you can purchase by local artists. The main room has a coin-operated pool table and flatscreen televisions playing such music videos as Madonna's "Material Girl" and Abba's "Dancing Queen." Beyond the music videos, entertainment includes DJs and burlesque shows, depending on the night.

But uh oh. We already see signs of trouble in paradise. Note this observation:

This address has had a rough run; here's hoping Eden keeps blooming.

In February 2012, Kathleen St. John at the Denver Post gave Eden a good review. Here is a portion:

Eden calls itself a "bar and cuisine lounge," but that's really just the front room.

The multilevel, multipurpose building offers a lot more than meets the eye. From performance space to party rooms, Eden aims to please.

An open iron gate in Eden's leaf-green, Southwestern-style facade welcomes visitors into a spacious entryway/art gallery. A trail of flickering electronic candles guides the way upstairs to the main bar and lounge.

The bar feels like someone's living room, cozy and carpeted, with Asian décor details. Four-top tables, covered in real tableclothes, take up most of the space, though the drinking clientele hovers around the bar. Eden cultivates a following in Denver's lesbian community but takes care to remain inclusive. The staff does a good job of it, too — the vibe is relaxed and welcoming.

After praise for the vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free menu ("pho rolls" and quinoa sliders) and drink specials, the description of Eden continues thus:

The bar extends into a dimmer, more intimate anteroom to the rentable party space next door. The party room is actually in the building attached behind Eden, the Exdo Annex. Dotted with couches and outfitted with its own bar, the lofted room overlooks Eden's dance floor.

Up another flight of stairs (Eden's a bit of a labyrinth) is a room with a small stage in the corner, plus another bar, plenty of tables and seating. On a recent visit, the Lady D Industries burlesque troupe was setting up for a Wild West extravaganza.

Despite the lack of focus and clear-cut definition, Eden doesn't feel scattershot. Its greatest strength is its versatility. Want to see a show? Have dinner? Drink and dance? All of the above? You're in the right place.

Denver Westword gave Eden the Best Lesbian Bar Award in 2013--a category for which, admittedly, there is little competition:

Eden is a garden of lesbian delights. Thanks to a diverse menu of vegetarian- and vegan-friendly options, Eden is as green-friendly on the inside as the grass-colored building is on the outside. But it's the after-dinner fare that makes Eden a standout on the nightlife scene: In addition to regularly supporting the women of Denver with events dedicated to roller derby, women in slam poetry, female fundraisers, International Women's Day and the like, the restaurant also offers fun, one-night-only events that cater to the double-X-chromosomed. Did you miss the Lady Gaga tour documentary on HBO? Eden's got a bad romance with the singer. You might also encounter diva-centric dance jams, sapphic sirens burlesque, yoga over brunch, or your favorite lesbian reality star.

Here are the comments from a site called WeGoOut:

eden has become a favorite neighborhood hangout and won the Best Lesbian Bar in Denver from OutFront Colorado. The leafy green building is hard to miss, just 1 block at the north end of the Light Rail D line. However, the paint isn’t the only thing that’s different here. eden is a cozy retreat for people from all walks of life as well as the creative and health conscious members of the neighborhood. Step up to our bar and you will discover that this is more than just a place to get a beer.

There are 49 customer reviews at Yelp, nearly all of which were quite positive about the menu. There is almost no mention of this being a lesbian place however. To be exact, there was one mention from Shanna K. in May 2013:

Designed as a lesbian bar, successful as a restaurant, events center, community meeting space and neighborhood watering hole, Eden does it all for everyone. Did I mention the free wifi and epic patio area? Or the weekend dance parties? Plus, an off street lot. It just doesn't get any better!

At Foursquare, there are 15 customer reviews, most of which are good as well. Here's one from May 2012:

A woman’s bar for everyone, with great drink specials, outdoor patio and fantastic vegetarian food. Located 1 block from the Downing St. lightrail.

So what happened? It's not real clear, but both yelp and Denver Westword report that Eden is now closed.

So I presume that Eden blooms no more...

Labyrus

The former Labyrus, now Lockerbie Pub

Labyrus

Location: 631 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Opened: 1978

Closed: ?

The only reference to Labyrus I have found is in an Indy Star article from December 2013. The article is called "The Strange But True History of Indianapolis' Gay Bars," but true to the genre, the article has very little to say about lesbian places. In fact, Labyrus is the only lesbian bar mentioned.

So what are we told about Labyrus? Well for starters, it was founded by a lesbian named Mary Byrne, who had been active in the protests against Anita Bryant's appearance in Indiana in October 1977:

Mary Byrne, once she acknowledged her sexuality, moved swiftly. She joined a women's rugby team, bought a country-and-western bar at 631 E. Michigan St. and converted it to a lesbian bar. This was in 1978. She named the place Labyrus, and booked numerous female musicians. It wasn't disco, it was feminist -- folksy, blue grass and some jazz: Meg Christian, Teresa Trull, Holly Near. "Fifty concerts a year," said Byrne. "It was the heyday of women's music."

And that's about it, except for one gay man complaining that he was once refused service at Labyrus.

Clara Conway Institute

Clara Conway Institute

Clara Conway Institute

Location: Poplar Street (near Orleans Street), Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Opened: 1877

Closed: 1893

From a website documenting the Pioneers of Education in Memphis. Clara Conway was quite obviously a devoted feminist and very committed to the creation of women-only educational space. Note how the school came to an end because the trustees saw Conway as having "too much ambition" in terms of creating a college preparatory curriculum for her young women students:

Miss Clara Conway  ... and the Conway Institute

Clara Conway

Clara Conway was born in New Orleans on August 14, 1844.  She was educated at St. Agnes Academy, Memphis, but her main education was by her own study at home. She traveled extensively in the United States and in Europe and her special gift was to prepare girls for college – primarily Vassar and Wellesley.

Early in her career, she was principal of  the Alabama Street School and the Market Street School.  In 1877 she left a prominent position in the public schools to open a high grade school for girls. 

She began with 50 pupils, one assistant, and $300 of borrowed money. In 1884-'85 a number of public-spirited citizens of Memphis came to her assistance, organized a stock company, incorporated the school incorporated, and a building erected. Miss Conway proposed to call the school the Margaret Fuller School, but instead, the trustees named it the Clara Conway Institute. From the small beginning the institute became very successful and continued until 1893. 

Her school claimed a fine reference library, a well-equipped gymnasium, a science lab, and a complete arts studio.  There were courses in voice, piano, theory, and public speaking.  Over the years she won the friendship of famous artist, musicians, authors and scientists.

Clara Conway

Clara Conway had hoped to found a school that would make women economically independent and she believed a solid education would do this.  She became one of the most prominent figures in education in the South and her school held a unique place in the region as a major preparatory school for young women.  The circumstances of the school's demise in 1893 are somewhat unclear but appear to have stemmed from conflict between Conway and her trustees.  She was determined to carry out the college-preparatory idea over the opposition of her financial backers who wrote about "too much ambition on the part of the principal"

After the closure of her school, she continued to teach for a few years on a much smaller scale, with herself as the sole teacher.  Her influence on students was deep and lasting.  Clara Conway died in 1904.

Friends Bar

Friends Bar image from Facebook

Friends Bar

Location: 5840 Forward Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Opened: November 9, 2012

Closed: Fall 2013

Here's how Friends announced her beginnings on Facebook:

Welcome to the Pittsburgh's newest gay bar in Squirrel Hill. We are located at 5840 Forward Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. This is a SMOKE-FREE bar.
 

Description

Friends Bar is open 5 days a week, hours listed below. The bar features a pool table, darts, a jukebox, and the hottest bar tenders in PGH, perhaps the world! We also offer a full menu!

We hope to welcome a diverse LGBTQIA crowd! We realized that there weren't a lot of places for lesbians to gather and have a space that caters especially to this community. We're here to create a fun spot where you can feel safe, comfortable, and connect with a diverse crowd!

 

Despite the all-so-important inclusive language, Friends was largely identified by the community as a lesbian bar (note imagery above). This is also reflected in the customer reviews at Yelp:

 

Friends Bar

From Iliana C., November 2012:

 

This is the newest bar in Squirrel Hill and it's a lesbian bar!  It's connected to Frankie & Georgie's (4 Wood Grille).

I came here opening night since it's always nice supporting lesbian places.  The drink specials were great - $2 wells and $2 domestics. There was a free buffet but you can also order food from next door. This place is brand new and could use a little help with the decorating. It's currently really bare.  I'm also not a fan of the name.  It's listed as "Friends Bar" on facebook but the windows say "Friends Over the Rainbow".  Either way - it needs to be changed.  The music is from a TouchTunes machine but if no one puts any money in it then the bar goes silent.  On the plus side, you don't have to wait long to hear your music play.

There was a great crowd opening night.  I didn't have to wait too long for a drink.  They do take credit cards.  Everyone was really friendly. Plenty of seating at the glittery bar or in one of the booths.  I would come back.

 

But for some reason, Friends just didn't catch on. Here's a review from Rebecca G. in March 2013:

 

Some of my friends really like this place so we went there this past weekend. This place was D-E-A-D, dead this Friday. We were the only people there until like 9:30. The food is decent, but they don't have a great selection of liquors. Beer selection was ok though... Just not my thing.

 

Actually, I can vouch for the lack of people from my own experiences. My girlfriend and I met up with two women friends at Friends, and the place was virtually deserted. But the staff was very nice. Even though the kitchen was closed, they actually fetched us food from elsewhere on the street. Pretty amazing service--beyond the call of duty, really.

Sad to see that Friends had such a short life.

Unnamed Lesbian Bar (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

Unnamed Lesbian Bar
(now the Garage Door Saloon)

Unnamed Lesbian Bar

Location: Corner of Atwood and Sennott Streets (223 Atwood Street), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Opened/Closed: 1990s?

Honest. I'd much rather post about a lost womyn's place where I have lots of interesting information to share.

But quite often, the herstorian tracking down lesbian bars finds erasure and disappearance more than neat anecdotes and personal reminiscences. And because [induced] amnesia is not uncommon in womyn's history, it is important to note and record the erasures as well.

Take this particular Unnamed Lesbian Bar. The reason we know there was once a lesbian bar at this site is because a longish article on this particular site tells us so. But only is passing.

Most of the article is devoted to The Decade, a (dudely) rock & roll joint that existed at this site from 1973 to the mid 1990s:

Appearing at the Decade early in their careers were the Police, U2, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Ramones, David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter).The Pretenders, Joe Jackson, The Romantics and others. Another regular to bless the stage of the Decade was blues man and comedian the Reverend Billy C. Wirtz.

And so on and so forth for several paragraphs. All dudes, with the notable exception of Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders. Not surprising.

But the article doesn't limit the discussion to just The Decade. We're also told that this place was a hotel in the early 1900s and later a restaurant called Atwoods Garden. It was a place called the Pizza Pub in the early 70s. If you want more information on any of these places, feel free to check out the link above, but I won't bore you with the details here.

And then at the very end, we're told the following:

It has since been a deli, a lesbian bar, a produce store, and a bar named Cumpie’s.  It is currently the Garage Door Saloon.

So no information on the lesbian bar. No list of performers, bands, musicians, and so forth that played there. No recollections from patrons. Not even a name. Just a random throwaway reference.

Welcome to the world of lesbian history.

Marie's Between Us Lounge

Marie's Between Us Lounge

Bridge over canal on East Riviera Drive, Copiaque, NY

Location: Copiaque, New York, USA

Opened/Closed: 1970s/Early 1980s

The only references to Marie's I have found are in two yahoo group discussions on the history of Long Island gay and lesbian bars. They both appear to be from 2005 and say the same thing. Unfortunately, the write-up is not especially well-written and the details are sketchy.

Marie's Between Us Lounge (later Dockside Lounge, Copiague) - Lesbian Bar,
the side door that faced the canal, rumor was one night someone staggered out the door and accidently fell in the canal, and they use to have a singer appearing there in the late 70's or early 1980. Owner was named Marie. She also owned M&M's/Misters/Club 608 for a time and worked/owned? Forevergreen.

Forevergreen (or Forevergreens), as it turns out, was yet another Long Island lesbian bar:

Forevergreens (later Evergreens), Lindenhurst - Lesbian Bar. Located on
North Broome St. Right after the Pizza Hut and Bedroom Source. Closed briefly in 2003 and reopened as a womans community center. reopened later that year as
a bar again. Owner is Camille. Hosts the annual Breast Cancer benefit, has raised over 100,000 towards research and support.

The only other bar explicitly identified in this discussion as lesbian was Shi Bar, which we have posted on before.