Supergay Blight Tour: Gay Bars of Detroit (Part 1)

[In spring of 2006, inspired by the "blight tours" of Detroit posted over on the forum at HotFudgeDetroit.com, I posted the following photo tour of the gay bars of Detroit. The forum was recently hacked and all old information was lost, so instead of simply linking to it, I'll just recreate the whole dang thing over here, and then throw in a spring 2007 update at the end. Have fun!]

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Detroit has a long history of being home to the gay bars of SE Michigan, but since the gays moved north there hasn't been an evolution in the bars of Detroit. Like adding windows, for example. Or being attractively decorated. Take a look at all the great gay bars!


Part One: Downtown and Eastside

The Woodward: New Center


It's the building between the hardware store and the empty art supply store.

A helpful fellow named Steve approached me on the street as I took this picture to ask if I knew what I was taking a picture of. I told him I did, and we chatted about the history of the gay scene in Detroit, and how the Woodward had gone from being an old-timers bar full of white guys into a relatively busy bar with a mostly black clientele in the last few years. He suggested I get a picture of the back too, since that's where the entrance is.

Here's the grand entrance, near the ample parking. Steve told me that the front will be clad with marble later this spring, although there are no plans to open the front entrance. Or spruce up the back, apparently.

Steve walked me to my car after that. I thought for a second he was going to hit on me, but he just ended up hitting me up for a few bucks, for a White Castle, seeing as he's laid off right now ...

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The Eagle: New Center, south of Henry Ford Hospital

Lots of people think this area would be a good one for the gayborhood to spring up. Can't say I disagree, although it makes me sad that this bar is the centerpiece of that plan. At least the entrance is on the street.

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Temple Bar: Temple & Cass, in the glamorous Cass Corridor


I'm including this because people insist this is a gay bar. I will only say that a tranny hooker does not a gay bar make.

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The Works: Michigan Ave in Corktown


Another alleged gay bar. Apparently one night a week gets a strong gay after hours thing still, although the appeal every night seems to be primarily after hours drugs.

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Off-Broadway East: Harper & Connor, eastside


I don't know if there is an Off-Broadway West or where the original Off-Broadway was, but here is the eastside version. I was only there once, about 10 years ago. This hot guy I was screwing around with and I went to check it out and we couldn't tell if it was a gay bar or not, especially from the glares the few patrons in the bar gave us. Now it is apparently a hot spot for the gay African-American community.

I wonder what ever happened to that guy?

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The Rainbow Room: 8 Mile & Mound (ish)


Conveniently located in the shadow of the Warren Truck Assembly for the butch bulldaggers who work there. Lots of lesbetarians drink here. Love the billboard.

continue to Part 2