Friday, September 4, 2009
Off Broadway East - Detroit, Michigan (Gay Bar)
Off Broadway East (Now closed) was located at 12215 Harper in Detroit. I have never been to this bar. I think it was a African American bar. If you have any stories to tell about this bar please post.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Aaaah! I remember this place well~ I was very young when this place was the "SPOT", but when I was lucky enough to get in I HAD A BALL~
ReplyDeleteforgot to ad... they'd rent this place out to this lady who'd give these wonderful parties... very classy!
ReplyDeleteOff Broadway East was oriignally a neighborhood place called Seeley's Bar & Grill. When the couple who owned it died, someitm ein the mid 1980s, their son took a look at the fact that the customers were moving to the suburbs and redid the place as a gay bar called Off Broadway East. It was then a mixed crowd; it only went to mostly African American after some years.
ReplyDeleteA really hot place, circa 1985. It's too bad the east side no longer has any good gay bars.
ReplyDeleteWas a fun bar in mid to late 80'S, it would get a crowd from Grosse Pointe and St Clair Shores. Was "preppy" type place at time with small dance floor disco. Mostly a neighboorhood type place.
ReplyDeleteThis bar was an African-American and always crowded. The bar was to your right with bench style seating on your left. Keep on walking you would pass a small passageway connecting the bar to the dance floor. I met some, hot phine ass men up in there, primarily from Detroit and Chicago. You had to get there early if you wanted to park in the lot behind the club. The drinks where strong as hell.
ReplyDeleteI, and a friend went there one Saturday night in the late 1990s. we were the only two white guys in the place,but had no problems. We were, in fact, hit on by several of the brothas there.
ReplyDeleteOff Broadway East. Been there a couple of times. The first time I do not remember. I think it was dark. One time a bought a round of "Buttershots" for everyone there. I know the second time I went, I remember a piano and a lot of black and white themes. It seemed classy. I also remember using the restroom and someone had left ice in the urinal. Thought: wow I am actually pissing on ice. The dance floor was in back down a long dark narrow hallway and the disco lights popped against the bleak backdrop.
ReplyDeletei loved this place as the bar was separated from the dance floor by a short hallway. allowed for conversation without having to shout over the music. 1985.
ReplyDeleteI loved this place! It was the core to my lifestyle foundation. I was there at it's grand opening sometime in the mid-80s. It was a smaller bar/club, but attracted an upscale/mixed crowd of friendly down-to-earth patrons. It had a stunning interior (deco). Half of the structure was dedicated to a dance floor, and the other have was a bar. The music was fantastic although I can't remember the DJ's name. The rooms were separated with a wall so you could escape the music and socialize at the bar. Some will remember "Contessa" and "Bambi" who I believe started their careers there. The bar was represented by a soft ball team and participated in the annual Bar Guild show. I learned to play euchre here on weeknights, which was a ton of fun. I recall that the owner's name was Tim and created a loyal following with his patrons.
ReplyDeleteBambi was such a sad child. She just never managed to make people like her. And she really needed to be liked. She had the drive and ambition but no personality at all. From one club to the next with no success.
DeleteOwner "Tim" was known as "Scarlet O'Hara" for her ego driven my way or the highway attitude. I remember spinning records there when she wanted her record played. I told the waiter to tell her I was playing two song request for customers and after I would play her song. Well at the end of the night I was called to her office. "Don't you like working for me?" I told her quite honestly that "no one ever liked working for her" and that was my last night. Que sera sera.
ReplyDeleteOh larry...hope your well
DeleteOBE was the spot where you stood in line to get in to have the time of your LIFE. Stiopers, good drinks, great DJ's plaing some the classics and special mixes. This place was so hot when the club let out we partied in the streets till the morning. We risked getting robbed shot or killed as the years went on and crime got worse.
ReplyDeleteMy friends mom used to bake cakes back in the 90s....in 97 or 98 she baked a cake for a guy ..we never new it was a gay bar and i grew up on harper and dickerson..so we went in and the cake was a guy with a twinky for his penis and the tip was off and tye cream was coming out...lol lol i have never ate a twinky since..😂
ReplyDeleteI only went here once. Liked Contessa, Bambi, and Monty. As a friend of Monty's I was allowed to stay after closing but it was very brief. The high & mighty Scarlet aka Tim Ohara got a bug up her ass in a conversation and ordered me out. I have seen this from him at other clubs too. A mess
ReplyDeleteI co-owned OBEII from 1994 til 2012. Alot of good memories, thanks for sharing your good times ✌️
ReplyDeleteRIP Tony Miller
I was visiting Detroit from Philly for the first time in 1998. Stayed at a hotel downtown with my sister. She went out with a friend one night, so I decided to go out. I hailed a cab and asked if he knew of any gay bars. He did! Took me way across town to Off Broadway and gave me his contact for when I was ready to go back to the hotel. But no need to contact the cabbie. Had a nice time, met a nice guy named Shelly who dropped me off at my hotel and we hooked up the next day.
ReplyDelete