Friday, September 4, 2009

The Glass House - Detroit, Michigan (Gay Bar)

The Glass house (Now closed) was located at 950 W McNichols in Detroit. It is part of the same building that houses Menjo's. I remember when it was open, but I had never gone inside. If you have any stories about the Glass House please post. I'm told that Menjo's has bought both the Glass House and the hall next door to Menjo's and is planning to expand the bar into these two places.

16 comments:

  1. The new owners of Menjos did guy the two adjacent buildings that used to house the Glass house and the old chosen books. They are turning the old chosen books into the New Legends Theatre which will house drag shows and performances with a stage and atmosphere that has never been seen in the area. They are also converting the old glass house into a new sports bar called Baskets. All three buildings, Menjo's, Legends Theatre, Baskets Sports Bar will have access to one another so that customers can move freely through all 3 venues. I hear the target date to open these new venues is around the end of 2009

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  2. Yay! I still remember not only the Glass House, but its previous incarnations as the Cove and the Crews' Inn. However the new reincarnation will be a wonderful addition to the area and will hopefully bring some attitude back to Detroit. But it still brings back memories of going to the Cove/Crews' Inn/Glass House to sober up for what was then a long drive from Detroit back to Bloomfield Hills.

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  3. The Glass House (made of all brick.. no windows... where was the glass?!) was the CHEERS of its time! Being a lady, I had to be particular of where I went in the City.. but ALWAYS felt comfortable, welcomed and SAFE at the Glass House! We'd eat.. drink.. what the game.. just hang out there for spell before hitting the streets on our way to the dance club~ The clientele was large, for such a small place. We all knew each other, and that felt good. Certian nights were white... certain nights were black... but all were the same (chilled)~ ......... sure miss those days~

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  4. The Glass House was as much a restaurant as bar when I went there in the 1980s. We'd eat there before going on to one of the bars in the area.

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  5. From the period of about 1984-86, you could go there any day during the week for happy hour and find a packed place full of hot gay men in business suits from downtown. They were all friendly...had some of the best times of my life! Miss it like crazy...

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  6. i remember those days. My lover and I have been together 25 years. where do people from those days go anymore? would like to see those people again and talk about the old days.We have gone to gigi"s and menjo"s and really feel out of place. Any suggestions?

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  7. Did somebody mention Chosen Books? OMG, I'd quite forgotten about that little place wedged between Menjo's & the Cove. That's where I first bought poppers. But I remember it being a tiny place so I wonder how they are going to turn it into a theater. Oh well, at my age I lucky to remember to zip up my fly most the time.

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  8. 1980-82 I lived in Palmer Park when it was 95% gay. Menjos/Glass House were right down the street. People would go from one to the other. Piano bar with a big black woman whose name escapes me would belt out songs with much energy.

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  9. I remember the wonderful staff at the Glass House..Kevin was the bartender, Greg was a waiter and Carleton began his career there!

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  10. I remember the "glass House" when I was young in the early 80's. I dated a couple of people from there. I lived a few steets over so I could drink my self into a stupor and still manage to get home. I miss the haunts of my youth so much but with eyes closed I can smell the food and taste the greyhounds. The owner was a "Mr. Ed." Billy was the bar tender and Kevin the waiter. Later I met Craig who waited tables and ended up cracking a lamp over my head. What a relationship! The cook had a thing for large black men. She shared that, one should always examine the goods first for hygenine. I still get a mental picture of this every once in a while and chuckle. For enertainment their was a judge that had the nickname the "groper". I'd sit with a couple of guys I met there by the name of Bob and Chuck. The place was all done in blue with high top black tables and stools.

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  11. The Glass House was my first gay bar. As a young man I would often go there for lunch and just hang out. Their burgers and french onion soup were without equal. I even met my first boyfriend there.

    Times gone, never to be had again?

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  13. I once got a salad garnished with a cockroach there. My best friend used always take a shit in the Glass House before going into Menjoes. The bathrooms at Menjoes were too much of a scene and made him nervous.

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  14. I once got a salad garnished with a cockroach there. My best friend used always take a shit in Glass House before going into Menjoes. The bathrooms at Menjoes were too much of a scene and made him nervous.

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  15. Watched the Tigers win the world series there

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  16. As a young man still in high school, I used to hang out at Chosen Books, as it was a safe environment. I mustered all my courage and wandered next door to Glass House, my first time to a gay bar. I was invited to sit with some young fellows. I was so nervous. One of the guys sitting next to me said I was so cute, leaned in and kissed me! MY FIRST KISS AND FIRST TIME AT A GAY BAR! That was 40 years ago. LOL!

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