Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Bookie's Club 870 (Gay Bar)

Bookie's 870 was located on McNichols in Detroit, not far down from Menjos. Ca. 1970-1983 and ca. 1987-1990. It was a punk bar and frequented by many gays. aka as at different times: Deco Disco, Kaleidescope Bar, Lillan's Down-Under Bar, Pink Flamingo and Trixx. It was originally Gagan's (see Gagen's ) Share you stories about this place in the comments section. *See Credits.

6 comments:

  1. Bookie's was the old Frank Gagen's under the management of well-known Detroit gay bar personality Bookie Stewart. During its whole run as Bookie's the only sign out front was the huge letters on the marquee that still said "Frank Gagen's". It was a '40's/'50's 'swank' dark place with shiny black decor, a polished wood bar, and big round red banquettes. It morphed through being a drag bar (with spectacular drag shows), a disco, and Detroit's first punk rock venue, and was often different things on alternating nights until the punk/new wave finally won out and took over every night.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I went to the Alcove and Bookies in the 80's. Was it the same place? I thought it went from punk to gay and not the other way around. Is there any more info available? There was a sex club in the lower level of one of the clubs near there as well at the time although I cannot recall the name of it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1972-74...Some of the best drags shows were at Bookies! Tiffany Middlesexx, Buttons LaWalker, Bettye Clarke!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stratght female here that loved Buttons. I actually stayed with her for a short time in Palmer Park. What fun!!

      Delete
  4. Bookies was located on W. McNichols (6 Mile) eastbof Hamilton, 3 business-lots east of Menjos, in what today (2020) is the parking lot of the Liquor store.
    Originally opened in the 1930s as a "supper club" (upscale, swanky, live music) in what was at the time the wealthy Jewish enclave-neighborhood of Palmer Park.
    By the late 70s - mid 80s, it was namef Bookies & catered to Detroit's most "hard-core punk rock" scene. I remember driving by & seeing the leather-studded, mohawk-tats-n-spikes sporting eclectic "Punkers" anywhere this side of London, England! Detroit's Punk scene was live, like so many other musical genera were then & still are today!
    In the late 80s Bookies changed venue to a "black gay bar"; yes sadly even the bars had labels back then :(.
    I'd occasionally "escape from the pompous, boring disconclones @ Menjos 'white gay bar'" & head 3 doors down to Bookies for "a taste of some flava!" & I sure found it there! The basement was a black go-go strip club; needless to say my thought was "OMG, THIS IS FUCKING AWESOME!" "Papa Phil" was the bar manager at the time, & he sure knew how to throw a great party!
    Closed sometime in the early 90s.
    THE DETROIT GBLT CLUB SCENE WAS SURE OFF THE HOOK BACK THEN!
    GREAT MEMORIES!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I remember Gregory Livingway drag name Gladys Day miss him love him❤

    ReplyDelete