Two years later, as first
reported here Don Davis, the owner of the second largest gay club in town,
Grand Central, indicated the establishment would be put up for sale. Fast
forward to 2020, under new ownership, Grand Central closed its doors this past
summer amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and a new office complex would reside where
the club once stood.
On its website, the Grand
Central Management team wrote:
After over 30 years of serving the community, Grand
Central sadly has shut its doors. Given the overwhelming challenges created by
the pandemic and our beverage-only driven business, the operations were not
sustainable as we prepare for the next chapter. We appreciate all of our
customers and supporters and thank them for their long-time loyalty; we look
forward to celebrating the institution’s legacy in the future development. We
strongly believe in the Mt. Vernon community and will always drive to be stewards
of quality, growth and retention to ensure the neighborhood’s character stays
true to form.
The gut-punch reality of this
latest occurrence was jarring with the 30 year-old Grand Central building succumbing
to the business end of a wrecking ball. But the memories of this place did not
vanish in the rubble of what was once a proud and glorious safe space for the
LGBTQ community.
The pulsating beats on the often
crowded dance floor were high tempo, driving energy levels sky-high. The needlessly
loud music in the saloon area on the weekends, however, rendered attempts at conversation
a monumental task.
The famous red, white and black
parties where imaginative patrons dressed up in dazzling, clever attire to fit
the theme were experiences to savor.
There were fundraisers and other events
 |
The upstairs loft in the
adjacent but attached building was set aside for lesbians to congregate and
socialize, and when the original Eagle closed, that area was inhabited by the
leather community.
Who can forget that
out-of-control pickup truck that careened into the outside tables and building
entrance and splashing a river of white paint on the sidewalk and walls of the
bar? And, of course, there were the ongoing public grievances the owner had
with a string of mangers that were laid bare on social media.
Grand Central with all its
quirkiness and merriment had been a good compliment to the Hippo when they both
competed for the attention of our diverse community. But now they are gone.
The smoking ban, the advent of online dating and hookup apps, the increasingly difficult parking situation and a greater willingness of the younger generation to patronize “straight” bars took its financial toll on both the Hippo and Grand Central—the bulwarks of the gayborhood.
However, other developments had an adverse effect on the gayborhood.
Years ago, we lost the iconic
LGBTQ Lambda Rising bookstore—another casualty of the internet. The Community
Center left its Mount Vernon birthplace and headed to Station North/Old Goucher
slightly less than a mile away from the gayborhood in order to provide targeted
services to low-income and people of color not prevalent in Mount Vernon. Along
with it went the Pride parade and block party, where every year thousands used
to pack the intersection of Charles and Eager Streets and surrounding streets
to eat, drink and be merry while live entertainment added to the high-energy
atmosphere.
Other establishments closed as
well. Flavor, a lesbian-owned bar on nearby Centre Street known for its
community-oriented fundraisers, dancing and good eating, is no more. After 25
years of operation the City Café, a gay-owned, popular restaurant, which was
situated a block away from the Hippo, closed for good in the Spring. While many LGBTQ folks made a habit of
enjoying lunches and dinner there, patrons from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra,
a few blocks away, also partook. With the Symphony closing during the pandemic
and the closings of the nearby bars, the impact on the City Café had to be
devastating.
We also lost a favorite of mine,
the Mount Vernon Stable on Charles Street, another nice, gay-friendly
restaurant, which closed its doors after many years.
Remaining are the two oldest gay
bars in the gayborhood, The Drinkery and Leon’s, with their own claim to
memories over the years. Both are closed now because of the pandemic. It
remains to be seen if and when they will re-open.
On the bright side, the gay
owners of the chic new LGBTQ-friendly Manor Restaurant and Ultralounge that
inhabits the old Brass Elephant restaurant opened a month before COVID hit.
Undaunted, they plan to re-open as soon as they are permitted.
Over five years ago on a typical
Saturday night, the gayborhood was alive and teeming with crowds ready to party or dine
or both. People sat outside of the City Café enjoying their meals. Folks
meandered to any combination of the four bars in the immediate vicinity. Lines
snaked outside the Hippo; Grand Central was hopping.
Halloweens and New Year’s Eves were
incredibly festive. Pride was absolutely
insane—colorful, creative, loud, hot, sassy, messy.
Yes, there used to be a
gayborhood in Mount Vernon but no longer. The pile of rubble and debris on the
Grand Central site symbolizes the gayborhood’s sad demise.
________
[Photo of Grand Central demolition by Justin Johnson. Other photos by Bob Ford]
