Mt vernon baltimore gay bar

Two years later, as first reported here Don Davis, the owner of the second largest gay club in town, Grand Central, indicated the establishment would be put up for sale. Fast forward tounder new ownership, Grand Central closed its doors this past summer amid the COVID pandemic, and a new office complex would reside where the club once stood.

On its website, the Grand Central Management team wrote:.

Baltimore’s newest LGBTQ+ nightclub has opened in Mount Vernon, with a familiar name

After over 30 years of serving the community, Grand Central sadly has shut its doors. Given the overwhelming challenges created by the pandemic and our beverage-only driven business, the operations were not sustainable as we prepare for the next chapter. We strongly believe in the Mt. The gut-punch reality of this latest occurrence was jarring with the 30 year-old Grand Central building succumbing to the business end of a wrecking ball.

But the memories of this place did not vanish in the rubble of what was once a proud and glorious safe space for the LGBTQ community. The pulsating beats on the often crowded dance floor were high tempo, driving energy levels sky-high. The needlessly loud music in the saloon area on the weekends, however, rendered attempts at conversation a monumental task.

The famous red, white and black parties where imaginative patrons dressed up in dazzling, clever attire to fit the theme were experiences to savor. The upstairs loft in the adjacent but attached building was set aside for lesbians to congregate and socialize, and when the original Eagle closed, that area was inhabited by the leather community.

Who can forget that out-of-control pickup truck that careened into the outside tables and building entrance and splashing a river of white paint on the sidewalk and walls of the bar? And, of course, there were the ongoing public grievances the owner had with a string of mangers that were laid bare on social media. Grand Central with all its quirkiness and merriment had been a good bar to the Hippo when they baltimore competed for the attention of our diverse community.

But now gay are gone. However, other developments had an adverse effect on the gayborhood. Along with it went the Pride parade and block party, where every year thousands used to pack the intersection of Charles and Eager Streets and surrounding streets to eat, drink and be merry while live entertainment added to the high-energy atmosphere.

Other establishments closed as well. Flavor, a lesbian-owned bar on nearby Centre Street known for its community-oriented fundraisers, dancing and good eating, is no more. While many LGBTQ folks made a habit of enjoying lunches and dinner there, patrons from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, a few blocks away, also partook.

We also lost a favorite of mine, the Mount Vernon Stable on Charles Street, another nice, gay-friendly restaurant, which closed its doors after many years. Both are closed now because of the vernon. It remains to be seen if and when they will re-open. Undaunted, they plan to re-open as soon as they are permitted.

Over five years ago on a typical Saturday night, the gayborhood was alive and teeming with crowds ready to party or dine or both. Folks meandered to any combination of the four bars in the immediate vicinity. Lines snaked outside the Hippo; Grand Central was hopping.