One of the oldest gay bars in the US is facing a very uncertain future unless it can quickly raise some additional funds.
Twin Peaks Tavern, in the heart of the Castro, is one of the city’s most famous gay bars and has a history stretching back almost 50 years.
It opened in 1935 but was taken over by lesbian friends and relaunched in 1972. Mary Ellen Cunha and Peggy Forster did something radical: they kept the venue’s large windows uncovered, making Twin Peaks the first gay bar in the US to have big, clear windows, allowing people to see in from the street. Previously, gay bars were boarded up or hidden behind discreet doors.
Related: 10 of the oldest and most iconic gay bars in the US
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Twin Peaks has since passed on to new ownership and until 2020, remained one of the city’s most popular LGBTQ hangouts. However, the pandemic has changed that and it’s now battling for survival.
In April, it launched a GoFundMe to help it survive (bars in San Francisco have been closed for months because of the pandemic). This week, the owners posted an update. They’ve raised $78,000 of a $100,000 target, but unless they can get more money quickly, Twin Peaks’ closure could be permanent.
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“As a historic gathering place, we have survived many challenges that have been witnessed just outside our windows. With a deep sense of pride and community, we have risen through those past challenges, and we will survive this pandemic with help from you.
“In any other year, a holiday stroll through the Castro would include a visit to the incredible Nutcracker display at the Twin Peaks. This year, our windows are once again darkened due to the second lockdown in our city, and we are taking every precaution to make sure our customers and employees stay safe and healthy through 2021 and into 2022.
“Unfortunately, the cost of remaining closed is taking a strenuous toll, and without an immediate infusion of funds, our doors will close for good.
“It might feel easier for us to just give up. However, as the owners of this profoundly beloved historic landmark, we feel an obligation to fight for the place that means so much to so many. We are asking you to reach into your pockets and give anything you can to save what is simply an irreplaceable institution in San Francisco.”
Related: The iconic venues that won’t be returning after COVID-19
More than 22 LGBTQ venues have closed in the US during the pandemic. In san Francisco, these closures include The Stud, Blow Buddies, and Badlands. Most other gay bars have resorted to crowdfunding campaigns to help them survive, including The Stonewall Inn in New York City, which to date has managed to raise $323,000 to secure its future.
Josh447
Excellent place and it’s worth keeping. Please donate.
henare
How much did you give?
Josh447
$50.00
TheAbsoluteTRUTH
The epicenter of leftists complaining about being put out of business by the very people they support…newsom..pelosi and shiff…oh well
REDBEARD
Troll
Cam
Right wing troll accounts hate California because under Republicans it ran huge deficits. When Democrats gained a super majority, California started running multi-Billion dollar surpluses. You HAVE to lie and claim Ca. is a mess so people living in red states don’t see how terrible their state governments are.
As for this situation. Trump decimated our economy with his disastrous Covid response, and McConnell made sure none of the Covid money went to small businesses like this one.
Chrisk
Cam
They like to point to our homeless epidemic as proof that Democrats have failed. Maybe a better question would be why most of the homeless choose California instead of the Red States…hmmm…
TheAbsoluteTRUTH
Yeah Cam under republicans California ran deficits because unlike your friends like gov moonbeam and now this essential hypocrite newsom and your beloved twat trio of pelosi..shiff and mad maxine they want to tax you six ways to sunday ..and California is a mess it’s not a claimed mess it is a mess and if you don’t know that your as clueless as they are
jrmat654
Haven’t we gotten past the whole booze/drug centric bar scene?? Good riddance
azjeff17
Correct! They’re doing that at home now with bbrt, grindr, and scruff.
Cam
Funny, I don’t see you calling for all of the non-GBTQ restaurants that serve alcohol to be shut down.
Chrisk
I’m kind of mixed on this. How many nights did I end up getting shit faced drunk around other shit faced drunks all just to meet someone. It’s good that future generations have an alternative to wading through a bunch of alcoholics and druggies now.
Then there’s the nostalgic part of me that screams we have to save it.
Btw. when I lived there in the late 90s we called it the Glass Coffin because of the age of their customers. Of coarse now that I’m older I see how insulting that was. Lol
Josh447
It’s not all about booze drugs and sex. There’s alot of people who like the socializing aspect that barely drink or drug. That should never die or we’re fukt as a race. It’s good to support human contact over computer contact tho both are relevant. Come on. Chip in. We’re social animals and need our local watering holes and night clubs to stay afloat. Do you want the Castro to go completely straight? It’s headed there.