Local
Obituary: Steven Smith, 57
Steven Smith (Blade file photo)
Steven Smith, a D.C. resident since the early 1980s and the owner of the Capitol Hill gay bar Remington’s, died April 15 at Georgetown University Hospital from complications associated with liver cancer. He was 57.
Smith’s partner, Doug Bogaev, said Smith and then partner Dick Brandrupt bought Remington’s in July 1985 when it was called Equus. The two renamed the bar Remington’s and continued operating it as a popular gay country-Western bar that featured dancing.
Smith later enlarged the bar by expanding it into an adjacent building on the 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E., where it has operated since it first opened as Equus in 1980.
According to Bogaev, Smith was born in Miami, and grew up in Tyrone, Ga. Smith served five years in the U.S. Coast Guard before moving to D.C. in the early 1980s, Bogaev said.
Under Smith’s ownership, Remington’s has been credited with hosting numerous LGBT community events, including fundraisers for the city’s annual Capital Pride festival and parade.
Smith was praised by LGBT activists in 1997 for his handling of an incident in which five Marines stationed at the U.S. Marine Barracks located a few blocks away at 8th and I Streets, S.E., tossed a tear gas grenade into Remington’s, causing minor injuries to several customers and triggering an uproar in the gay community.
The incident, which was considered an anti-gay attack, drew national media attention and statements of condemnation by D.C. government officials. LGBT activists staged a protest demonstration outside the Marine Barracks to demand strict disciplinary action against the perpetrators of the attack.
Smith, who called on the Marine commandant to take steps to prevent future harassment against the bar by Marines, told the Blade that a barracks commander apologized and promised to take swift disciplinary action against any Marine creating problems for the bar.
While saying he was sympathetic to the activists’ protest against the barracks, Smith also told the Blade he supported the Marines and didn’t want to see the Marines’ reputation tarnished because of a “few bad apples.”
Bogaev said he will continue to operate Remington’s along with the bar’s staff.
“I feel he was an absolutely wonderful person,” said Bogaev. “He would always put a smile on your face.”
In addition to Bogaev, Smith is survived by two brothers, Bobby and James, and a sister, Sharon.
A celebration of his life is scheduled to take place at Remington’s on May 7 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to the American Cancer Society and Whitman-Walker Health, the new name for D.C.’s Whitman-Walker Clinic.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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