Tuesday, September 1, 2009

The Gold Dollar - 3129 Cass Ave, Detroit Michigan (Gay Bar)

I found an article about this bar (See link below) It seems it was open from about 1934 to 1988 or 89. The story is that is was a drag show bar from 1956 to 1988 or 89. It was re-opened in 1996-2001 as a straight rock venue. If you have and stories of The Gold Dollar as a gay bar please send them to me, photos also.

Gold dollar article

 


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Posted by Chris H at 4:10 AM
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17 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 4, 2010 at 11:08 AM

    I went to the Gold Dollar in the mid 80's with my cross dressing friend. I remember some of the names of the performers. I remember Twiggy who was always kind to us and there was Betty Clark. There was another "gal" who used to do a song about a pussy cat. I miss that place. It was fun and intimate.

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    1. AnonymousDecember 1, 2013 at 11:07 AM

      I remember Twiggy and Betty Clark. I can't remember the name of the Queen who sang about the pussy cat but can remember most of the lyrics. LOL

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    2. G. OstranderOctober 7, 2019 at 9:37 AM

      I remember them also. I still see Betty Clark/Ron Clark. I will show this to him.

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    3. UnknownMarch 6, 2020 at 7:41 PM

      My mom ran the Gold Dollar for her friend Nate Baker. I've met a lot of the performers. Chili Pepper was close with my mom Harriet

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  2. AnonymousJuly 13, 2010 at 10:32 PM

    IT WAS A FUN PLACE WITH GOOD LOOKING GIRLS USED TO GO ABOUT ONCE A MONTH OH THEY WOULD HUSSEL DRINKS AND SO FORTH BUT ALWAYS HAD A GOOD TIME MISS THE PLACE SO EVERY GIRL HAS HER DAY AND USE TO GET A LOT OF FEELS

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  3. AnonymousSeptember 27, 2011 at 11:50 AM

    Visited the Gold Dollar on a number of occasions during the mid-60s to the mid-70s. It was primarily a STRAIGHT bar that catered to STRAIGHT men who liked drag queens. The shows were very good; attaining a high level of playful professionalism for its time. Customers would often bring their wives or female dates to the bar. Gay men were in the distinct minority as customers and used the bar for cruising more than show-watching. It was a fun place, but couldn't hold a candle to The Dip (the Diplomat), the Woodward, and a number of other gay bars immediately around it.

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    1. AnonymousMarch 15, 2012 at 2:02 PM

      I was there in the early 70's before I was out. It was a straight bar with "Female Imperssonators". It was the first drag show I had ever seen. I didn't get it. The MC was singing "The Candy Man" and they were handing him dollar bills. It was all new to me then. I'm pretty sure the original Gold Dollar is not the same location as the Punk Rock Gold Dollar, where the White Stripes became famous.

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    2. AnonymousSeptember 30, 2013 at 1:37 AM

      Yes, the gold dollar is, was, and always will be at the sake location on Cass ...I'm 70 yrs old, have lived in the corridor since age13...went to the shows at the dollar neglected & forgotten ...very sad indeed. I'm Tommy water's, did shows myself in the sixties at the Barbary Coast, just blocks away on Grand River & 4th

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  4. AnonymousApril 18, 2012 at 1:34 PM

    I met Ms. Chili Pepper there in the early 70's. She was the first person who explained to me that being a woman came from the inside - not from one's physical body.

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  5. AnonymousApril 18, 2014 at 11:20 PM

    David Hummel performed there from 1962-1967. There is a collection of some of his stuff at the University of Michigan's Bentely Historical Library as well as online here: http://www.queermusicheritage.com/fem-hummell.html.

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  6. AnonymousApril 11, 2015 at 3:11 PM

    Good to see this! It was definitely the same location - show bar and "rock bar" though it was more than rock - lots of experimental stuff - though only two drag shows in the 1996-2001 run. Many people from the old days stopped by and said hello, and it was good to have a connection with history.

    Confession: I'm the one who owned it and ran it 1996-2001. Kept the name because of the history - and because I couldn't think of anything better! Also really enjoyed hearing stories of the old days from various police officers and city employees I had to meet with before getting the place open. The opening line was almost always "Do you know the history of that place? I was only there once, but....."

    Anyway, thanks for bringing back the memories... My band played early on the last night, and I did it in drag (which I don't do well) as a tribute of sorts. Hardly anyone got it. Ha!

    -n
    (golddollar.com)

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  7. UnknownAugust 18, 2015 at 5:18 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  8. AnonymousOctober 5, 2017 at 8:13 PM

    I visited the Gold Dollar bar in the 1980s. I remember this one act with a snake. Does anyone remember this? I was living down off of Wayne's campus. I was young and everyday was fun and exciting. Such good times!

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  9. UnknownJanuary 7, 2018 at 7:08 PM

    I recently purchased an old storage chest from an estate sale in a prominent part of Oakland County. While searching inside I had found, among other old Detroit memorabilia, a little paper magazine (in Flawless condition), titled: CAVALCADE OF EXOTIC MODELS, Vol. 1, No. 1, dated May 22, 1958. On the cover is the photo of one of the models named Tempest Storm. On the cover is also stated: Album of top Stars - Over 35 photos - Pin Ups - Scan-Dolls, and "Compliments of the Gold Dollar Show Bar 3129 Cass Ave. Detroit. In the bottom right-hand corner is printed 50cent. If anyone has any idea of the history of this magazine, or what I should do with it please let me know??

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  10. David HummelJanuary 11, 2018 at 9:58 AM

    As mentioned above, I worked at the Gold Dollar from 1962-67 and that was the very first drag show at that club. Prior to 1962 it was a straight strip bar. That would have been when the magazine you mention was given out or sold there. Tempest Storm was a famous stripper of that time but not someone who would have worked there.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_Storm
    In 1959 I was at the Diplomat which was the very first drag show in Detroit. Some of us moved to the Van Dyke Club and then toured before going to the Gold Dollar. Sorry, I know nothing about the magazine itself as that was from when it was a strip bar.

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  11. AnonymousJanuary 15, 2018 at 1:37 PM

    I had many great times at the Gold Dollar back in the early 70s. Great shows with very sexy ladies. My favourite was Dee Dee Sharp, who also worked at the Birdtown pet store down the street. I did not care for the snake, though!

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  12. cboudreauAugust 8, 2018 at 11:10 AM

    Reading all the replies has brought back old memories. I met Twiggy, Rhonda, Ms. St.Clair, Chili Pepper,I'm 66 hung out there in the 80's, what a good time.

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