Cubbyhole (lesbian bar)

Last updated
Cubbyhole
281 W12 Cubbyhole 2021 jeh.jpg
Cubbyhole (lesbian bar)
Address New York City, New York
U.S.
TypeLesbian bar
Opened1987
Website
cubbyholebar.com

Cubbyhole, sometimes written as Cubby Hole or Cubby, [1] in Manhattan's West Village, is one of New York City's three remaining lesbian bars as of 2022. [2] [3]

Contents

History

The bar now known as Cubbyhole dates back to 1987 when it was owned and operated by Tanya Saunders and Debbie Fierro as a refuge for all comers under the name DT's Fat Cat. [4] [5] It has remained both a lesbian and queer friendly location throughout its history as bar patronage shifted throughout New York City's LGBTQ+ community. [6] [7] [8] In 1994 Saunders bought the name Cubbyhole from the owner of an already-closed lesbian bar, and the bar has operated under that name since. [9] [10] It is owned and operated by Lisa Menichino who had been a bar-tender under Saunders' ownership. [11] [12]

Cubbyhole is at 281 W. 12th Street, the same location where Saunders operated DT's Fat Cat. The former Cubby Hole was located in what is now Henrietta Hudson. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

While there was some concern in early 2022 when the bar closed for renovation, it reopened in spring. [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

"New queer cinema" is a term first coined by the academic B. Ruby Rich in Sight & Sound magazine in 1992 to define and describe a movement in queer-themed independent filmmaking in the early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gay bar</span> Drinking establishment catered to LGBT clientele

A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+) clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBTQ+ communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stonewall Inn</span> Gay tavern and monument in New York City

The Stonewall Inn is a gay bar and recreational tavern at 53 Christopher Street in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was the site of the 1969 Stonewall riots, which led to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBT rights in the United States. When the riots occurred, Stonewall was one of the relatively few gay bars in New York City. The original gay bar occupied two structures at 51–53 Christopher Street, which were built as horse stables in the 1840s.

Over the course of its history, the LGBTQ community has adopted certain symbols for self-identification to demonstrate unity, pride, shared values, and allegiance to one another. These symbols communicate ideas, concepts, and identity both within their communities and to mainstream culture. The two symbols most recognized internationally are the pink triangle and the rainbow flag.

Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) was a gay, gender non-conforming and transvestite street activist organization founded in 1970 by Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, subculturally-famous New York City drag queens of color. STAR was a radical political collective that also provided housing and support to homeless LGBT youth and sex workers in Lower Manhattan. Rivera and Johnson were the "mothers" of the household, and funded the organization largely through sex work. STAR is considered by many to be a groundbreaking organization in the queer liberation movement and a model for other organizations.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer+(LGBTQ+)music is music that focuses on the experiences of gender and sexual minorities as a product of the broad gay liberation movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ culture in Philadelphia</span>

The development of LGBT culture in Philadelphia can be traced back to the early 20th century. It exists in current times as a dynamic, diverse, and philanthropically active culture with establishments and events held to promote LGBT culture and rights in Philadelphia and beyond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ culture in New York City</span>

New York City has been described as the gay capital of the world and the central node of the LGBTQ+ sociopolitical ecosystem, and is home to one of the world's largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ populations. Brian Silverman, the author of Frommer's New York City from $90 a Day, wrote the city has "one of the world's largest, loudest, and most powerful LGBT communities", and "Gay and lesbian culture is as much a part of New York's basic identity as yellow cabs, high-rise buildings, and Broadway theatre". LGBT travel guide Queer in the World states, "The fabulosity of Gay New York is unrivaled on Earth, and queer culture seeps into every corner of its five boroughs". LGBT advocate and entertainer Madonna stated metaphorically, "Anyways, not only is New York City the best place in the world because of the queer people here. Let me tell you something, if you can make it here, then you must be queer."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesbian bar</span> Drinking establishment catering to lesbians

A lesbian bar is a drinking establishment that caters exclusively or predominantly to lesbian women. While often conflated, the lesbian bar has a history distinct from that of the gay bar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Therapy (New York City)</span> Defunct gay bar and nightclub in Manhattan, New York, U.S.

Therapy was a two-story gay bar and nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It hosted frequent drag shows, some of which featured performers who later rose to prominence on RuPaul's Drag Race. The venue was a favorite Monday-night stop for Broadway actors, who sometimes participated in the club's shows. Like other New York City nightlife establishments, Therapy was ordered to close temporarily in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July of that year, the venue's owner announced that it was unlikely to reopen, citing financial troubles. Therapy's atmosphere, drink selection, food and entertainment have generally received positive remarks from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Industry Bar</span> Gay bar and nightclub in Manhattan, New York City

Industry Bar, or simply Industry, is a gay bar and nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Owned by Bob Pontarelli, it is a sister establishment to Barracuda, a gay bar, and Elmo, a restaurant. Industry opened in 2010 and caters primarily to a crowd of young gay men and tourists. Its musical selection is mostly pop, and its live entertainment consists of a number of weekly drag shows, many of which are hosted by internationally recognized drag queens. New York City nightlife journalists frequently note Industry as one of the top gay venues in Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cock</span> Gay bar in Manhattan, New York City, US

The Cock is a gay dive bar in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is noted for its exhibitionist atmosphere and popularity as a cruising destination. Opened in 1998, the venue has been described by them. magazine as "a rarified taste of old New York and the cruisy gay scene that existed [there] in the '80s and '90s". In the late 1990s and early 2000s, it experienced frequent police raids under Mayor Rudy Giuliani's anti-nightlife crackdowns. The Cock has relocated twice, and its 2015 move along Second Avenue was met with opposition by nearby residents and Manhattan Community Board 3. Two other attempted moves, in 2014 and 2021, were blocked by the community board. Critics characterize the bar as "filthy", "seductive", and "alluring", noting that it is an unusual find in the United States and bears resemblance to European red-light district establishments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesbian Bar Project</span> Campaign to "celebrate, support, and preserve the remaining lesbian bars"

The Lesbian Bar Project is a campaign created by Erica Rose and Elina Street to "celebrate, support, and preserve the remaining lesbian bars in the US." The project launched on October 28, 2020 with a PSA video narrated by Lea DeLaria that announced a 30-day fundraising campaign to support what were thought to be the last 15 lesbian bars left in the country, many of which were financially threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic. A second phase followed in June 2021 in connection with Pride Month, including the release of a short documentary, and a three-part docuseries was released on National Coming Out Day 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Eagle (bar)</span> Name shared by multiple gay bars

The Eagle is a name used by multiple gay bars. It is not a franchise or chain of gay bars, but rather a name adopted by bars inspired by The Eagle's Nest, a leather bar in New York City. Bars that use the name "Eagle" typically cater to a clientele of gay men in leather and other kink subcultures. As of 2017, over 30 gay bars in locations around the world operate under the name "Eagle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henrietta Hudson</span> Queer restaurant and former lesbian bar in New York City, U.S.

Henrietta Hudson, originally named Henrietta Hudson Bar & Girl, is a queer restaurant and lounge in Manhattan's West Village neighborhood. It operated as a lesbian bar from 1991 to 2014. Until it rebranded in 2021, it was one of three remaining lesbian bars in New York City. Henrietta Hudson's location is the original location of the Cubbyhole bar, which had the distinction of being lesbian-owned and managed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ginger's (lesbian bar)</span> Lesbian bar in Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

Ginger's is a cash only, dive lesbian bar in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood, and as of 2020 was the borough's last remaining lesbian bar and one of two queer bars in Park Slope following the closure of Excelsior. The bar is owned by Sheila Frayne and opened in 2000 when Park Slope was a lesbian mecca, although it is seen as both a lesbian bar and a woman-friendly neighborhood bar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doc Marie's</span> LGBT bar in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Doc Marie's is an LGBTQ-friendly bar in Portland, Oregon.

Elaine Lillian Romagnoli was an American businesswoman and community leader. She founded and ran successful restaurants and lesbian bars, including Bonnie & Clyde's, The Cubby Hole, and Crazy Nanny's in New York City.

3 Dollar Bill is a bar in East Williamsburg that is said to be the city's largest LGBTQ+ owned venue. The bar, which opened in 2018, takes its name from the phrase queer as a three dollar bill. The building in which the bar is located is a series of red brick buildings had been the Otto Huber Brewery until the 1950s rendering it large enough for parties and a community space with the bar occupying 10,000 square feet of space.

References

  1. Demopoulos, Alaina (8 June 2023). "'They fling the doors wide open for you': why America's lesbian bars must be saved". The Guardian . Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  2. "The Curious Disappearance of the Lesbian Bar". The Story Exchange. 2019-06-28. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  3. Anderson, Melissa (2017-06-21). "Why Are All The Lesbian Bars Disappearing?". The Village Voice. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  4. Ingall, Marjorie (2018-06-04). "Farewell to Tanya Saunders, Longtime Owner of Beloved NYC Lesbian Bar". Tablet Magazine. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  5. Gilbert, Marcia (2018-06-21). "Hats Off To 'Our' Tanya: A Dedication To Cubbyhole Owner Tanya Saunders". GO Magazine. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  6. Brown, Gavin; Browne, Kath (2016-05-20). The Routledge Research Companion to Geographies of Sex and Sexualities. Routledge. pp. 29–32. ISBN   978-1-317-04333-1 . Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  7. Brown, Gavin; Browne, Kath (2016-05-20). The Routledge Research Companion to Geographies of Sex and Sexualities. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-317-04332-4 . Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  8. Gieseking, Jen Jack (2020-09-15). A Queer New York: Geographies of Lesbians, Dykes, and Queers. NYU Press. p. 80. ISBN   978-1-4798-4840-9 . Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  9. "A Herstory of Lesbian Bars in NYC: Gwen Shockey Charts No Man's Land". Bedford + Bowery. 2017-11-02. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  10. Brandt, Libertina; Kaplan, Juliana (18 February 2020). "Cubbyhole is New York City's best-known lesbian bar. We visited the tiny West Village spot that's a 'second home' to its regulars — here's what it was like". Business Insider. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  11. Berg, Alex (5 May 2020). "After 27 Years, NYC's Friendliest Lesbian Bar Won't Let a Pandemic Close Its Doors". them. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  12. Carmel, Julia (2021-04-15). "How Are There Only Three Lesbian Bars in New York City?". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  13. Hoeffner, Melissa Kravitz (2021-04-09). "Inside the Reopening of Cubbyhole, One of Manhattan's Last Remaining Lesbian Bars". Eater NY. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  14. Bellamy-Walker, Tat (13 April 2021). "Lesbian Bar Cubbyhole Opens Back Up". Gay City News. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  15. Gourarie, Chava (2021-05-24). "Only 21 Lesbian Bars Left in the US, and Some Won't Reopen Post-COVID" . Commercial Observer. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  16. Marloff, Sarah (21 January 2021). "The Rise and Fall of America's Lesbian Bars". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  17. "Cubby Hole / Henrietta Hudson". NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  18. Cassell, Heather (2022-05-11). "Cubbyhole Has a New Look for the Spring" . Retrieved 2022-09-10.

40°44′15.7″N74°0′13.6″W / 40.737694°N 74.003778°W / 40.737694; -74.003778