![redline gay bar downtown la redline gay bar downtown la](https://www.outtraveler.com/sites/default/files/2016/01/28/PRECINCT.gif)
“At the beginning of this, we were trying to stay on top of our online events,” said McIntire. Many fear that paying off the backlog isn’t going to be doable with the expected numbers as the percentage of people allowed inside bars is still incredibly low. But these events have only managed to raise so much money.
![redline gay bar downtown la redline gay bar downtown la](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/ladowntownnews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/99/39979412-2982-11e5-9bb7-8779c021c3c3/55a3f18136a17.image.jpg)
“What the city might now realize is they can’t be so picky about those regulations.” Many of the bars have continued onwards with the support of online events, such as Twitch streams promoted by performers from Drag Race. is very protective of the concept of having enough parking spaces and whatnot, and those kinds of things really hinder a nightclub and a bar,” said Scott Craig, owner of Akbar in Silver Lake. Parking itself has long been a massive issue in Los Angeles, with strict regulations meaning that businesses across the city have long had trouble opening if there wasn’t enough parking nearby. “So many of us when we opened these, having an exposable outdoor space was not near the top of anyone’s list,” said McIntire. Rooftops and parking lots have worked out more consistently for the bars that could afford them. We started losing money because the sales weren’t so strong. “We tried to do a to-go model and still sell food, but because of opening and then closing for the riots and protests in Downtown LA, we were closed for another ten days and all the food spoiled.
![redline gay bar downtown la redline gay bar downtown la](https://sloppy.gaymapper.com/pictures/1528.jpeg)
“We were closed for the first month,” said Oliver Apuche owner of Redline DTLA in a phone interview. Many tried various business models in order to try to survive, but most had trouble coping with restrictions, especially in high-density areas like downtown where there was little room for outdoor setups. Many gay bars had not considered having outdoor spaces or selling food, things that would become requirements for the pandemic. The short notice meant that bars had no time to prepare or to make arrangements. “During that time when you’re not expecting something to happen, everything comes to a halt, no income coming in.” “They only gave us a two-day notice we had to shut down,” said Brian McIntire, owner of Precinct DTLA in a phone interview with L.A. Many have shut down, and some permanently. Redline’s Alpuche commented that it is a bizarre reversal of situations when a gay bar, which often is donating to causes or hosting fundraisers, is suddenly the one that is asking for help.A s Los Angeles starts to show signs of normalcy after a long year of pandemic-induced closures, the LGBTQ+ community has difficulty keeping the community together as gathering spaces and gay bars across the USA hold on by a thread. CLICK HERE for The Eagle LA GoFundMe page. CLICK HERE for the Redline GoFundMe page. Redline owner Oliver Alpuche and Eagle general manager Hunter Fox each talked about how they are struggling to pay bills and stay afloat with no revenue coming in.īoth bars have started GoFundMe pages hoping to raise money from patrons to cover expenses until they can reopen for business. Both bars remain closed due to pandemic shutdown orders, but hope to reopen once restrictions are lifted. In addition to Flaming Saddles, the KCRW segment also talked to the owner of the Redline bar in downtown Los Angeles as well as the general manager of The Eagle LA in Silverlake. So far, eight LGBT-focused establishments in the LA area have permanently shut their doors due to the pandemic, including long-running bars Rage and Gold Coast in West Hollywood and Oil Can Harry’s in Studio City.
![redline gay bar downtown la redline gay bar downtown la](https://dtlaexplorer.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/jalisco2.jpg)
The KCRW segment by reporter Danielle Chiriguayo discussed the sad state of LGBTQ bars in greater Los Angeles with many closing permanently and others struggling to stay alive during this pandemic. Finally, unable to come to an agreement with Overstreet, they were forced to close Flaming Saddles permanently in August. However, the relationship soured as the pandemic dragged on. Squatriglia figured she and Overstreet could work out an equitable arrangement to deal with upheaval of the pandemic. She reported having a good relationship with landlord Monte Overstreet, the man who owns the building at 8811 Santa Monica Blvd. It’s just going to be a fiasco of a fiscal nightmare, but let’s just stay healthy and dig out on the other side,” Squatriglia said during a recent segment of the “Greater LA” news program on radio station KCRW (89.9 FM). “As the pandemic got worse, we were like, okay, as long as everyone just stays healthy, we can dig out later. Jacqui Squatriglia, the co-owner of the now permanently closed West Hollywood gay bar Flaming Saddles, initially figured they would go through tough times when the bar was forced to close last March at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, but though they could survive it.