G Spot

G Spot

G Spot

Location: 2031 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, Florida, USA

Open: 2017

Closed: 2018

Sadly, this place didn't last more than a year. 

From South Florida Gay News: 

Lesbian Bar Closes Down in Wilton Manors

Michael d'Oliveira 02/21/2018 11:33 am

A little over a year after opening, G Spot Bar is the latest Wilton Drive business to close its doors. Lisette Gomez, co-owner of G Spot, Wilton Manors’ only lesbian bar, announced the closing on social media on Feb. 16. G Spot closed Feb. 18.

“I would like to thank everyone who supported us from day one and never stopped supporting us. I appreciate you! Unfortunately, it was not enough. This was not my choice and it doesn’t come easy. I worked hard to build a place for the ladies to call their own, investing my retirement because I believed there would be support. My partners trusted me when I said the ladies would support us and that was not always the case,” Gomez wrote.

She went on to write that G Spot lost revenue because it was forced to close multiple weeks because of Hurricane Irma and another incident of fried air conditioning units.

“If I could save the bar I would, I just do not have the resources to buy out my partners . . . Also, if anyone knows me well, they know that I have something else in the works. I still believe that this community needs a space inclusive of everyone. Not just the boys or the girls but a place where there it doesn’t matter how you identify. That’s what I’ve been trying to create here and my Friday and Saturday nights were becoming more diverse. So STAY TUNED, this is not goodbye, this is see you real soon.”

Although G Spot is a lesbian bar, when she opened, Gomez told SFGN at the time, that it was a place where everyone is welcome. “We want to label ourselves as a bar for girls who like girls but there are a lot of gay boys who like to hang out with the lesbians. We’re not discriminatory. There will be Sunday football, drag king shows, as well as [a place for] our straight allies. We want it to be open to everybody.”

Although it’s a place where everyone is welcome, female patrons still expressed their disappointment in losing Wilton Manors’ only lesbian bar.

“This is a huge tragedy for my friends and our community and I'm really sad to see G Bar go but I fully support Lisette Gomez and I know that we will come back stronger and just work that much more harder to make a safe place for women and lesbians to be represented and enjoy ourselves in our neighborhood!” wrote Minnie Perez.

“G Bar was the first place where I felt included after coming out. Thank you for putting yourself on the line to create this wonderful space. I am grateful to know you, and I look forward to working with you to continue to create community and make waves,” wrote Darlene Hollander.

“Thank you for creating this and so sorry it has to end! My gf and I would drive down from West Palm sometimes on Saturday nights and it was so disappointing to see it empty week after week. Kudos to you for investing in spaces for us. It will be exciting to see what's next!” Stephanie B. wrote.

The Hideaway

The Hideaway

The Hideaway

Location: 1756 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA

Opened/Closed: Mid 1990s -2014

Notice how all the same lame excuses are trotted out regarding the loss of womyn's space. Basically that all you girls should be happy with a nomadic party scene that pops up now and then. Who needs dedicated space? Who needs community you can actually find when you need it? Just be content with basically being homeless, stateless, with a "community" that's chaotic and incoherent. It's the cool thing now! (At least for lesbians. Nobody else would accept this deal as cool.)

From Watermark Online:

Overheard in Tampa Bay: Oldest lesbian bar in Florida shuts down

By : Anonymous

January 15, 2014

The oldest lesbian bar in the state shuttered its doors on Jan. 13, ending an era of more than 20 years on St. Petersburg’s Fourth Street. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the bar is done. The Hideaway, and it’s neighboring boy bar, Haymarket Pub, went out with big bashes and announced that while the land and buildings may have been sold, the spirit of the bars could keep the party alive at a different location. That location, however, has yet to be announced. Facebook pages for both of the hot spots hint at a resurrection in the future, and the faithful seem to be ready to support the renaissance whenever and wherever it may appear.

Cherry Pie Nightclub

Cherry Pie Nightclub

Biscayne Boulevard

Location: 2041 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida, USA

Opened/Closed: c. 2007-2008

Lonelyplanet is exceedingly brief and to the point. But it sure sounded promising:

Miami's only dedicated lesbian club.

Bobbi Miller has a February 2008 review at the Venere Travel blog, which fortunately (unfortunately?) has a lot more detail:

Go to Cherry Pie Nightclub in Coral Gables

One of the must see places for lesbians visiting Miami is Cherry Pie Nightclub. Set adjacent from the University of Miami campus in Coral Gables, Cherry Pie Nightclub is sure to please. Hosted on Friday nights from 10pm until 5am (my emphasis) you can get your party on until the sun comes up. Always full of the finest lesbians in town, Cherry Pie is always packed to capacity with young women ready to have a good time.

The club has many features to appeal to those who like to drink, those who prefer other activities to dancing, and those who rave all night. After paying $12 if you are under 21 or $8 if you are over you enter onto the upper deck looking down on the dance floor. There are 3 bars accessible to those not in the VIP so you shouldn’t have to wait forever to be served. The main bar in the middle of the floor has 2 bartenders behind it to keep the good times flowing. Beers are about $5 and mixed drinks go up from $7.

Hot go-go dancers, rock and techno music

You can head down the stairs into the throbbing masses of sweat drenched party goes or head over to shoot on one of the 2 pool tables. One of the pool tables is held in a separate room with it’s own bar and TV if the music gets to be a bit much. This club is known for having some of the hottest go-go dancers on the main stage and pumping out a blend of top 40 and techno at deafening levels. If you want to get in the mix, head down to the main floor and rock out with some of the coolest lesbians in town but be warned. The closer you get the stage the crazier those women get. If you’d like to take a break just head back up the stairs to the third bar and get a drink while you look down on the madness.

If you’re taking a trip to Miami you cannot miss Cherry Pie Nightclub. With something for everyone this is an experience one can only find in the hottest city on the east coast. Bring some friends, meet some beautiful women and have the time of your life at the hottest club for lesbians in Miami.

at Azucar Nightclub

Here we find out that Cherry Pie is not a "dedicated" lesbian club at all, but simply caters to lesbians for 7 whole hours out of the week. So why not just call it an event or a night? Why not admit it's just the same old nomadic scene that lesbians all over the world are told we have to settle for these days--if we're lucky enough? (And even then, all the non-lesbians will show up anyway, since it's the New Rule that lesbians can't have their own bar space, even though every other interest group in the world--Irish ale drinkers, bikers, big, hairy gay men into leather, etc.--are allowed one.)



At Soho Lounge




Not surprising, then, that on Facebook and at Clublezlife.com they finally got real and just started calling it "The Return of Cherry Pie" Fridays. Apparently started just this year--and at a new location, of course. That being the Azucar Nightclub.

But this was apparently a revival, as there are also
earlier references to Cherry Pie Fridays ending with a "New Event by the Ladies" at the Soho Lounge. That event being called "Pink Fridays." Not sure of the date.

Confused yet? Ah, but it gets better. There was also a Cherry Pie at Club O'Zone which dates to 2006--which was apparently EARLIER than the one on Biscayne Boulevard.

But all the shuffling and improvising has been deemed a Good Thing, ya know. In the same way you'd rather be a stateless refugee than have citizenship. Or homeless instead of a homeowner.

One more thought. Happened to be looking at an old post on a ladies restaurant from 1888, and had one of those "the more things change the more they remain the same" moments. In the advertisement, we saw the same "confusion" about whether this was "exclusively" for women (i.e. "dedicated" to them) when it clearly wasn't and never was. This is clearly a well established tactic. Promise the ladies something "just for them" when clearly you're delivering nothing of the sort.

Sadie's Tavern

Sadie's Tavern

Sadie's Tavern

Location: 415 South Orlando Avenue, Winter Park, Florida, USA. Also at 17-92 Fairbanks?

Opened: 1990

Closed: 2000

Here's how an October 2006 article on Orlando Gay history describes Sadie's:

Sadie’s Tavern: Former lesbian hangout on Orlando Avenue in Winter Park.

Other than that, Sadie's is listed as a bar that opened in the 1990s, but nothing more. Oh, and obviously that it was gone by 2006.

Fortunately, we were able to find a more detailed description at the GLBT History Museum of Central Florida:

1990 - Sadie's Tavern Opens           
Owned by Judy Shaw and located on 17-92 at Fairbanks, this bar became a well-known lesbian bar, as well as hang-out for Rollins College students. The bar featured live music on the week-ends, including many lesbian performers. During the mid-90's Sadie's Tavern was the local 'Cheers' for many in the lesbian community.

Sadie's is further discussed in this article on an all-women "surf rock" band called SOSUMI:



SOSUMI

[Lead Singer Sue] Bowlus says SOSUMI was born out of a desire to socialize. "[It was] a good reason for us to get together, all of us loved music and we got free beer out of it, we're all good friends." While hanging out at Sadie's Tavern, the renowned lesbian bar in Winter Park, the girls began bragging about being in a band, prompting establishment owner Judy Shaw to book them for a show. This caused the girls to go scattering for their instruments, practicing and taking the punk crash course in learning your craft while you perform. The debut show, in July of 1997 was a smash. Soon, Bowlus, [bassist Courtney] Lowrance, lead guitarist Rihan Al-Samurai, drummer Tracey Gibbs and singer Mia Livingston would develop a thick lesbian following through effective word of mouth.

And we know that Sadie's Tavern was still open in March 2000 from this ad:

Lucid Fly, with Product: doors at 8 p.m. Saturday; Sadie's Tavern, 415 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park; $6 (ages 18-20), $4 (age 21 and up); 407-628-4562.

But Sadie's was apparently gone by May 2000, according to this article:

Changes are under way over at Winter Park's Sadie's Tavern - think of this as a mental field trip - which by the time you read this may officially be called Midtown Tavern.

The new name refers not to location but to the fact that ``a lot of people come into the tavern and say this reminds them of a bar in New York City,'' says owner Dave Shaw.

Well-known as a lesbian bar in the Sadie's days, Midtown puts the focus on music. ``Everyone's still welcome - we're just moving to be more open to the entire public,'' Shaw says.

Whether you're looking for jazz, rock 'n' roll, hardcore, punk, swing, big band or rockabilly, Shaw aims to provide it.

Wednesday nights are devoted to jazz, and Fridays and Saturdays almost always feature some kind of live music. Although the bar generally is closed Sundays, there will be a Sunday night performance this weekend by New York swingers Dem Brooklyn Bums.

Sadie's was apparently pretty memorable as it ended up on a 2008 list of "weird/fun places in Orlando that are extinct."

Sadie's Tavern/Midtown Tavern - Bar on Mills and Fairbanks (where Chipotle is). It was kind of a lesbian bar, but also a biker bar. Not a bad place to swing in for a beer or 3.

New Moon

New Moon "crew" (2009) - by Jackie R.

New Moon

Location: 2440 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, Florida, USA

Opened: March 2005

Closed: March 2014

The future must have looked real rosy when New Moon celebrated its 8th anniversary last year. From South Florida Gay News:

Wilton Manors Lesbian Bar New Moon Celebrates Another Anniversary     

Written by Andrea Dulanto          

1 year 2 months ago

 A couple of years ago, the headline for an article at AfterEllen, a lesbian pop culture website, was “Are lesbian bars going extinct?”

It gave a few reasons for the possible extinction: An increase of social interactions via technology, the recession, the inclination of women to “partner up and stay home with [their] cats.”

Yet for the past eight years, New Moon Barin Wilton Manors has been giving LBT women a reason not to stay home.

SFGN sat down with owner Carol Moran at New Moon Bar to talk about the history of the bar, highlights from the past eight years, and the upcoming 8th anniversary party.

Moran opened New Moon in March 2005.  She had been the owner of Kicks, another lesbian bar in Wilton Manors, which had closed down.  Before that, she had worked as the General Manager for Red Lobster.

“I was getting ready to get promoted to Director, and I decided I don’t want to work that hard and that long for someone else,” said Moran.  “I said I’m going to open this little bar.  If it works, great.  If not, I’ll sell it and go back into corporate America.  I kind of figured, what’s the worst that can happen?”

When asked how New Moon has changed over the years, Moran reflected that they had added the patio bar and continued to offer live music.  Upcoming bands include Sirsyfrom New York, which will perform during Pride, and South Florida’s Not for Nothing.

“You know what you’re going to get when you come in here,” said Moran.  “You’re going to get friendly staff.  You’re going to get good drinks.  And we never charge a cover.”

Why no cover?  “I think we pay enough to be gay.  We don’t have to pay any more.”

New Moon also contributes to the community with fundraisers held throughout the year.  The bar works with the Iron Ladies Golf Tournament to benefit Broward House and Broward Health.  They raise awareness and funds for AIDS organizations through Smart Ride.  During December, they sponsor a toy drive for the Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center.

Moran’s favorite part about owning a bar is when she can introduce people to each other.  She also enjoys being a resource for the community.

“A woman came to me and her son was extremely ill, HIV-positive.  I was able to call Broward House and get him the help he needed,” she said.

She also spoke about a woman who was able to detect her breast cancer as a result of the Iron Ladies benefit.

“That kind of stuff is pretty powerful,” she concluded.

Although there haven’t been many changes to New Moon over the years, they are planning a remodel that should be finished by the end of March 2013.

“We’re bringing in local artists,” said Moran.  “They’re all doing 4 x 8 inch canvases.  All local artists because I want it to be their place.”

Featured artists will be Gay Demario, Sheen Douglas and others.  They will join pop artist Allison Lefcort’spainting of Madonna, which has become an iconic fixture on New Moon’s wall.

Moran also spoke about her dream to start another fundraiser at New Moon, a women’s music festival.

However, her immediate plans involve the recent purchase of Bailey’s Bistro in Wilton Manors.  Scheduled to open in April, Thirteen Even will serve beer, wine and small plates.

But this new business endeavor does not mean that Moran will be any less involved at New Moon.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said.

This year’s 8th Anniversary party will turn New Moon Bar into an arcade with twenty video games from the 1980s including Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man, and Galaga.  DJ Karen Ward will play 80s music, and there will also be a costume contest.

In a few words, Moran described New Moon Bar:  “A gay Cheers.  You may come here not knowing somebody, but you’ll leave here knowing somebody.”

New Moon had consistently good reviews too. From Mark's List:

More laid-back than many of its male bar equivalents, New Moon Lesbian bar is an addition to the Wilton Manors nightlife scene that has a more urban flavor. While most of the bars and clubs in Wilton Manors are directed at gay guys and welcome lesbians, New Moon caters to lesbians and welcomes gay guys. This large bar fills a niche long missing from the main strip in Wilton Manors.

Customer reviews were generally stellar as well. Here's one sampling from yelp:

The only lesbian bar in town, and it was pretty awesome.  A few years back when my cousin took me, he kept getting me drinks and every time he left someone would be hitting on me.  That was a fun night.  It was super sweet of my cousin to take me even though it didn't serve his own interests in any way.  The live music playing that night was awesome.  The crowd was really friendly.  The drinks were well-done, fast, and delicious.  Now that I'm actually over 21 with some money, I'll have to make another visit and see how I like it personally when I pay for everything.

 

And then, just one year later, she was gone. The obituary from Florida Agenda:

New Moon Closes its Doors

Posted on 12 March 2014

 

Wilton Manors, FL – A valued business in the LGBT closed down this week – the well-known lesbian-oriented bar New Moon. Over the weekend, the bar was packed from wall to wall with patrons. The bar became the stomping ground for a number of lesbians around the tri-county area.

“We’re really sad to see it go,” a patron told us over the weekend. “It’s our go-to bar when we decide to get out of the house. We’re really going to miss it.”

Patrons won’t have to worry too much though, as there will be a new party at Rumors on Thursdays that will cater to the lesbian crowd: Ladies game night with two-for-one drinks and 15% off your food bill (ladies only). The new lady’s party at Rumors started on Sunday when New Moon closed its doors for the last time.

And the goodbye note at the New Moon website:

 

Red Carpet Lounge

Red Carpet Lounge 

Location: 937 North New Warrington Road, Pensacola, Florida, USA

Opened: At least by 1998

Closed: 2010



Her self description says very little. In fact, the only reason you would even know that Red Carpet Lounge was a lesbian bar is because it was listed at LesbianNightLife: 

We are located at 937 N New Warrington Rd. an open from 5pm - Close Tuesday thru Sunday. Tuesday its all you can drink for $8! We also have an open pool tournament @ 7:30 with a $5 entry. Cash Prizes. Wednesday its karaoke with KJ Karmyn from 9pm- Close

Lonely Planet is very brief, but at least they use the L word:

This popular lesbian bar has special themes nightly.

Fortunately, the Pensacola Independent tells us more:

Red Carpet Lounge (June 2010)

This primarily lesbian bar calls itself Pensacola's "Hottest Ladies' Bar." Drag pageants, pool tournaments and pajama parties are just a few of the fun events hosted by the bar."

Gaycities informs us that Red Carpet Lounge had the reputation for being anti-male (oh, the horror!):

Lesbian bar in Pensacola
Referred to as "the Rug" by the locals, this lesbian bar has had it's ups and downs in the last couple of years. And unfortunately for guys, it has gained the reputation of unfriendliness towards members of the opposite sex.

It appears that at least one straight dude customer echoed this opinion regarding the Red Carpet Lounge. I'm guessing the ladies did not grant him the deference to which he obviously felt entitled. From yelp, July 2007:

men...do not go in here! the lesbian regulars are hostile and will make your stay very uncomfortable! the lesbo bartenders will not even serve you if you are male! equality and justice...not even in the lesbian dictionary!

However, at least one other patron disputed this claim in  August 2007:

I don't really frequent "The Rug", as it is so affectionately referred to as, all that often, but I wanted to counter the scathing review already posted.  The Red Carpet--if you couldn't tell from the name--is a lesbian bar.  So, if you're going to visit, gay friendliness is a prerequisite. 

I'm not sure what kind of hostile treatment this guy got, but the bartenders and patrons have always been good to me and my male friends whenever I have found myself there.

Blue Mule Saloon
(formerly the Red Carpet Lounge)

Yet another customer at Yelp tells us that the Red Carpet Lounge closed in 2010. No additional details are provided. 

As to when it opened, the earliest reference I have found to the Red Carpet Lounge is in 1998.

Today it is the Blue Mule Saloon.

Cloud Nine Lounge

Cloud Nine Lounge

Location: 7126 Sterling Road, Davie, Florida, USA

Opened: At least as early as 2007

Closed: Spring 2012?

Gay Bars Fort Lauderdale is pretty much to the point. Cloud Nine Lounge is a "Lesbian Neighborhood Bar, Mixed Crowd." 

From sunny.org: "Lesbian-friendly nightclub with nightly drink specials such as 2-4-1 everything everyday 12pm-8pm, Fri Ladies Night, Sat Free Drinks 11pm-1am, and Sun Karaoke 9pm-1am."

From SouthFlorida.com: "Cloud 9 offers entertainment and mingling for gay women in South Florida."

And from lesbian night life:

Run by women for women, this lounge features two pool tables, dartboards, and beer-pong tables, a dance floor with a pole and a friendly staff.  

Cloud Nine (2008)

Cloud Nine won "the Best Cheap Thrill in Broward" award in 2007. (Woo Woo!) Here's how Voice Places described it: 

Cloud 9 is lesbian hangout that's also the kind of place you turn to for good conversation -- and when you're in need of a stripper pole. The understated interior is disguised by a generically painted/decorated exterior that might lead many a passerby to drive on, ignorant of the genial friendliness inside... And of the amateur strip contests like Dare 2 Bare.

This description is derived from a longer piece (by a dude) on Cloud Nine published on November 15, 2007:

Cloud Nine Lounge 

You can learn a lot about women at Cloud 9 Lounge, a local's bar in Davie where on many nights the majority of the patrons are lesbians. Cloud 9, with its many faces, can act like a dive bar one night, then put on its dancing shoes and act like a naughty schoolgirl on her way to the sock hop the next night. Cloud 9 is not exclusive. It doesn't pretend. It's functional — two bars, three pool tables, TVs, a dance floor, a stage, and, oh yeah, a stripper's pole. And it's the kind of place you turn to for good conversation. The understated interior is disguised by a generically painted/decorated exterior that might lead many a passerby to drive on, ignorant of the genial friendliness inside, ignorant of the stage with the stripper's pole and the few of us guys taking notes. What we're learning is that too often, guys neglect these good traits (functionality, good conversation, humility) for the sake of being a hunter. For the sake of being a "man." You see, here, the hunt is futile, making for excellent practice on how to become better-rounded. Social classroom or not, after a few Corazon tequila shots, it's still a bar (full of women) famous for its amateur strip contests, like this week's Dare 2 Bare, in which someone will take home $150. Friday is ladies night, which means $5 Jäger bombs. On Saturdays, get $3 Long Island iced teas and get spun by DJ Buttafingaz all night.

If you want a sense of the atmosphere, here's a 40-second video from 2008. 

Earlier customer reviews from citysearch are fairly upbeat. 

From September 2008: "it's very crowed, but all the girls are fine."

From January 2010: "fun times.... great time with friends. cozy atmosphere and friendly people."

So are the ones from the yellow pages: 

From December 2007: "Regulars and bar staff alike are always happy to see you and are friendly. just soak up the good vibe. There are some interesting house specials. it feels inviting."

From February 2011: "Although my recent visit to Cloud 9 was during the morning, as one of the few places open during those hours, I could tell it was a cool place to hang out anytime, 24/7....The people and staff were friendly, so it was naturally inviting. Yes, this bar is known to be a favorite of a certain type of female, but who cares?....everyone is there to have a good time, and so will you."

Yelp features four later reviews, though, and all of them are pretty negative. 

By 2010 - 2011, a lot of problems with general quality were apparently starting to develop at Cloud Nine. 

Admittedly, some complaints were of the whiny variety--the "eh" music that was too "ghetto" along with the empty dance floor. That the bartender had an "attitude" and "dressed like an early 90s stripper- not cute."

But not all of the complaints were whiny or minor. For example, we're informed that the bathrooms were both "disgusting" and "horrifying." And it sure sounds like they were.

From July 2011: "One toilet had no seat, and the other was covered in vomit.  Ugh. I probably get herpes just thinking about this place."

In addition, we now had lots of boundary problems with men--a sign of incompetent and/or indifferent management, particularly at a bar that identifies itself as a place for lesbians.

From July 2011:  "The locals were a small handful of local lesbians, and a TON of straight guys, just staring at them (and us).  Not exactly what I want in a bar.  I'm all for mixed crowds, and I rarely enjoy all-lesbian clubs. But cmon guys, don't come just to stare.... pick  your jaws up off the floor, and stop being creepy."

From another reviewer, also July 2011: "full of horny old men who stalk you."

There were also, unfortunately, (barely veiled) racist reactions to Cloud Nine's mostly African-American clientele. 

From September 2010: "I was excited to go here because it was a "club" and so close to home. It was when I arrived when I began to have a mood change. This is a lesbian lounge but obviously you dont have to be homosexual to go. There is not girls all up on each other it is just a place to hang out. The crowd was mostly black, not that this is a bad thing but my friends and I received faces as if saying, "what are you doing here?"

According to jumponmarkslist, Cloud Nine is now closed, but no date is given. However, the last visit regarding health code violations was April 2012 (the reported violations started in November 2010, which more or less coincides with the beginning of the poor customer reviews). 

Library and Ladies Free Reading Room on the Bay

Library and Ladies' Free Reading Room
on the Bay (1908)

Library and Ladies' Free Reading Room on the Bay

Location: Miami, Florida, USA

Opened/Closed: c. 1908

The City of Miami’s library was founded by the Ladies’ Afternoon Club, later the Woman’s Club of Miami. Its purpose, we are loftily informed, was “reading and the discussion of literature.” By 1905, the Club was trying to provide a public reading room for its collection of books. The Club had no permanent home and for a number of years the reading room moved from place to place, as often as six times in a single year.

So it appears that the Library and Ladies' Free Reading Room on the Bay was one of those temporary homes. It was not until 1913 that the Miami Women’s Club had its own building at the corner of what is now Southeast Second Avenue and Flagler Street (then Avenue B and Twelfth Street).

Forget your modern library. I want this one! What else could you possibly need in life? You have sand, sea, and sunshine--along with books and all kinds of literate ladies to share them with. Sounds like my idea of paradise!

Women's Writing Room, Gasparella Inn

Women's Writing Room, Gasparella Inn (1920s)

Women's Writing Room, Gasparella Inn

Location: 500 Palm Avenue, Boca Grande, Florida, USA

Opened: 1913

Closed: Still open, though women's writing room is presumably long gone and adapted to some other purpose

The Gasparella Inn, located on a small barrier reef island, is one of the last of the classic Gulf Coast resorts, the kind of place where moneyed Northerners--especially the Boston bluebloods--used to winter over in style. A general history of the place can be found at the Gasparella Inn website.

In a development that is pretty unusual for Florida, planned growth and historic preservation efforts have been quite successful here, so the area still retains much of its turn-of-the-century charm. In addition, the Inn still carries on many of its old world traditions, like afternoon tea during Social Season.

Gasparella Inn

It appears that the initial hotel was fairly modest in size, so within two years the space was doubled. Hettie Rhoda Meade (1881-1973), a New York interior designer, was hired to decorate the interior. I suspect the women's writing room probably dates from this period. Meade certainly succeeded in creating a very warm, cozy, and attractive womyn's writing space, even if its use was limited to the WASP aristocracy.

Common Room and Housemother's Suite, Plant House (1919)

It turns out that this was not the only womyn's space that Meade designed. She is also credited with decorating and furnishing Plant House, a residential hall at the Connecticut College for Women, also in 1915. (The Connecticut College for Women, founded in 1911, began admitting men in 1969. It is now known as Connecticut College.) Here's how that project was described:

The living room on the ground floor will be furnished in early English style. Silver gray and blue will be the prevailing tones of the sleeping rooms on the first floor, soft grays and browns on the second and varying shades of gray on the third. The effect will be subdued and harmonious.

Some of Meade's other commissions include the west lounge (including the writing room) at the Belleview Hotel in Belair, Florida ; the new music and card rooms at the Griswold Hotel at Eastern Point, Groton, Connecticut; the Shinnecosset Country Club, also in Groton; and the Buckwood Inn (now the Shawnee Inn), in Shawnee on Delaware, Pennsylvania. Meade was also a recognized collector, dealer, and expert in Japanese prints, and a published author (Furnishing the Small Home). Here are some interesting, if random, quotes from that work:

...the decorative value of books en masse can not be overestimated.

Even one flower or growing bit of green in a room is of inestimable value, decoratively and spiritually....

An interesting painting or a colorful hanging has its use, for beauty has its utilitarian as well as its ethical value.

I heartily agree with all the above.

There is not a lot about Hettie Rhoda Meade's life, other than basic genealogy data. She was born in Oswego, New York on November 5, 1881, the daughter of John Oliphant Meade (1850-1917) and Alice Mary Littlefield (1860-1926). Hettie was the second born, just one year after her sister Helen. By 1900, the family was living in Brooklyn with the maternal grandparents, which suggests a reversal in fortune. Yet by 1906, Hettie had established a business for herself as a dealer in Japanese prints and "various Japanese art works" with a gallery at 40 Morningside Drive.

Then there seems to have been some sort of crisis, as by 1910, she is living back in Oswego as a boarder in the home of Albert and Alice Radcliffe. But by 1915, she's back in New York with her career going like blazes. In fact, she is doing well enough to have at least one assistant in her employ, Miss Ruth M. Cutler. By 1920, Hettie is advertising  her business in "interior furnishings and antiques" at 12 West 40th Street.

It appears that Hettie never married and lived by herself, as the 1920 Census reports that she was living alone in Manhattan. That same year, she travelled to Antwerp, Belgium aboard the Finland which suggests that she was doing well financially. Throughout the 1920s and 30s, her residence is reported as 4 West 40th Street. But by the war years, she had moved to 114 East 81st Street, with her business at 225 East 57th Street. By 1960, she had moved to 27 West 85th Street. Then she sort of drops off the radar.

She died in February 1973 at the age of 91.

ChiQ Bar

Chiq Bar live performance



ChiQ Bar

 

Location: 4900 66 Street, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA

Opened: April 2006

Closed: January 2009

Going by the written descriptions, ChiQ Bar comes across (at least at first) as a pretty fancy place, a clear cut above your average beer-and-karaoke dyke dive.

But when I started looking at the photos, she started looking like a dyke dive to me--albeit a dyke dive with a lot of square footage. And with a few extra bells and whistles here and there to be sure. But it's still all good. Dyke dives are definitely okay with me. Even the kind with a couple of upgrades.

This was the scoop on ChiQ Bar from Lesbian Nightlife:

Come check out Tampa Bay's Premier and Florida's largest Lesbian Nightclub! 7,000 Sq. ft. of hot ladies! Open 6 days a week.. 4pm till 2am.. Happy Hour 2-for-1 EVERYTHING 4-7pm!

Go Go Dancers, Game room, Patio w/Fire pit, Shot Girls, Leather couches, V.



Chiq Bar signage

And from Metromix Tampa Bay:

Tampa Bay's Premiere Lesbian Nite Club. Very popular lesbian nite club featuring multi-level dance floor, DJ's, live bands, drag shows, go-go dancers, pool table, dart boards, beer pong, 2 patios. Open 6 days a week @ 6pm. Great drink specials. No cover during week.

Let's not leave out ClubFly:

Type: Lesbian Club

In a nutshell: Tampa Bay's newest hottest pumping music lesbian dance club with beautiful dancers, ladies galore & even a few kings. Game room, patio bar, V.I.P. room, plasma tv's, new sound & lights. Happy hour 4pm till 7pm...

Interestingly enough for a space this large, mygayweb tells us that ChiQ Bar was "Lesbian Only":

Come check out Tampa Bays Premier Lesbian Night Club. 2 Level dance floor, Go Go Dancers, shot girls. Hot bartenders, game room, V.I.P. room, patio bar, band room with full stage. State of the art sound and lighting. Membership cards. Happy Hour 2-for-1 EVERYTHING! THIS PLACE IS NOT TO BE MISSED!

ChiQ Bar dance floor

The best written description comes from St Petersburg Nightlife. That's where we find out that ChiQ Bar actually had a lot of cultural and entertainment offerings:

Dance Club/ Gay Bar: Without a doubt one of St. Pete's hottest lesbian nightclubs, ChiQ is a dream destination for anyone in the alternative lifestyle. At a stunning, elegantly decorated 7,000 square feet, ChiQ offers a little bit of something for everyone. The main room boasts a huge dance floor with staggeringly sexy go go dancers performing three nights out of the week, and the second full room is decked out with cushy couches and a full stage for live music performances. Outside, a fire pit sizzles all night long and offers a great place for chatting with friends over dynamite cocktails. Once you've been to this idyllic St. Petersburg lesbian club, you'll have a hard time leaving. ChiQ is home to some of the best live women's acts around, as well as burlesque shows, stand-up comedy performances, spoken poetry nights and fundraisers.

So when did she open? Let the digging begin! We know she was open as of June 2007, as there is a reference to a drag show being held at ChiQ Bar as part of the St. Pete Pride Festival. In fact, she was open at least as early as March 2007, as singer/songwriter Lexi Pierson appeared there on the 7th. And then there was that "lesbian speed dating" event held at ChiQ Bar on February 11, 2007. So it's clear that ChiQ was open by the beginning of 2007 at the latest.

Whoops. Hold the presses. We now have a date as early as September 2006, as that's when blues guitarist Chic Lisitano appeared.

Ha! Finally found it! An announcement dated April 9, 2006 that ChiQ bar would be "opening soon." So we'll say April 2006 was the opening date.

According to McFilmfest, ChiQ Bar closed in January 2009. She was replaced by Club Nautilus, a gay (male) dance club. But even that is gone now.



4900 66 Street today

Photo: 4900 66 Street

The Rainbow Room

Rainbow Room exterior sign

The Rainbow Room

Location: 421 South MacDill Avenue, Tampa, Florida, USA

Opened: ?

Closed: June 25, 2011

Here's how The Rainbow Room introduced herself, which was pretty discretely:

We think of ourselves as a mix between a bar and a community center. I know, kind of strange but it works for us. We have our main indoor bar with plenty of seating and pool, darts, jukebox and bar top games. Our outdoor Tike patio is the biggest in town with a full Volleyball court with beach sand and all. Also Outside is plenty of seating for all and on special nights we hope you enjoy our live bands on the Tiki porch!

We host live (big band and acoustic), Pirate Karaoke with our own DJ Mikey, Volleyball & dodge ball tournaments, special events and fundraiser's to no end. We are not a restaurant but often do free bbq's during our outdoor events and are known to bring in some tasty wings on game day! Folks are welcome to bring in food anytime we just ask you to clean up afterwards. Just like momma would ask. We are NOT a full liquor bar but we have a full range of domestics, Imports and specialty beverages.

Honestly, this place--though somewhat closet-y in her self-presentation--sounds like a lot of old-fashioned FUN! But just what is pirate karaoke anyway? (No, as a matter of fact, I don't get out much. Thank you for inquiring.) Oh, well. Nevermind. Maybe it all makes sense after a few margaritas on the Tiki patio.

So how do we know that The Rainbow Room was a lesbian place? Other reviewers, darling. The venue description from ClubFly throws discretion right out the window. It explicitly mentions that The Rainbow Room is a LESBIAN BAR right up front. 

Type: Lesbian Bar/Lounge

In a nutshell: A mix between a bar and a community center, The Rainbow Room features pool, darts, jukebox and bar top games. The outdoor Tiki patio is the biggest in town with beach sand and all, big bands, pirate karaoke, DJ, volleyball & dodge ball tournaments and bring your own food ...

As does GayCities:

Locals lesbian bar that's welcoming to the boys too
Rainbow Room is a friendly neighborhood bar with tons of events.

Metromix goes one step further, and declares that The Rainbow Room is (gasp) a "womyn's bar"!

Rainbow Room serves up beer and wine in south Tampa's "only womyn's bar." Located right on MacDill Avenue, this bar has a reputation for serving up cheap drinks with good company. While the bar may be small, the atmosphere makes up for the size. Live music, karaoke nights, and drink specials make it a worthwhile stop on any pub crawl. The dress code is casual and the crowd ranges from singles to happily paired off couples.

Don't leave without trying their signature drink: a jello shot! At just $1 each, expect to do several rounds of these rainbow colored treats.

Then there is this description from about.com, which kind of explains the confusion. The Rainbow Room bills itself as "mixed," but in reality is a "top lesbian hangout" (wink, wink).

It may not be as flashy as the larger GLBT clubs in Ybor City, but the Rainbow Room (421 S. MacDill Ave., 813-871-2265) is a very cool, welcoming little neighborhood bar a bit west of downtown - in close proximity to a few other low-keyed gay nightspots in Tampa, including Baxter's, City Side, and Ki Ki Ki III. The Rainbow Room bills itself a mixed club, welcoming all kinds, and this is very much the case, but among gay establishments in town, it's among the top lesbian hangouts. There's a festive and quite large Tiki-inspired patio with its own beach and volleyball court (they often have live music out here), and an indoor bar with pool, darts, and games. The staff is friendly and outgoing, and the crowd consistently free of attitude. Keep in mind that Rainbow Room has beer and wine but not a full liquor license.

There's only one patron review at yelp, and that's from a Chicago gal who sounds a bit grumpy (maybe she was nursing a sunburn?). This is dated May 2010:

This place is the lesbian equivalent of a bikers bar without the bikers and it has a volley ball court.  It's tiny inside.  There is only enough room for a bar, a pool table and a juke box. But in the back there is a gazebo, plenty of seating and a volley ball court.

The Rainbow Room

It's full of regulars.  I can't say I thought my stay there was terrible, it was game night and I got suckered into playing taboo and got an awesome applause when my word was hanger and I said "If you can't have a legal abortion people use this for unwanted pregnancies".

Oh you know, just my inner liberal feminist lesbian coming out.

It's cheap, a little scuzzy not somewhere I would bring someone for a first date.... or 5th. Kind of just somewhere you just arrive to and somehow get a little caught up in their little community. The people are really nice, just not my scene.

Several websites mention that The Rainbow Room is no longer in business. One patron at ClubFly says that it closed on June 25, 2011, but there are no details.

Guess you'll have to find somewhere else to get your pirate karaoke fix.

 Photo: Rainbow Room signage,  exterior