Local
Sale of Phase 1 ends 45-year run of lesbian bar
Building goes for $3.3 million
(Washington Blade file photo by Damien Salas)
Phase 1, a lesbian bar that has operated in the Barrack’s Row section of Capitol Hill since 1970, became a part of gay bar history last month when its building, owned by Phase 1 co-founder Allen Carroll, sold for $3.3 million, according city tax records.
Although Phase 1 has been closed since last June, Carroll applied to have its liquor license stored in “safekeeping” at the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration, raising speculation – and hope by some of its loyal customers – that he might reopen the iconic club.
One year earlier Carroll announced on the bar’s Facebook page that it was being closed for renovation work and would soon reopen. It did reopen a few months later on a limited schedule of Thursday through Saturday nights only.
At the time it reopened he told the Blade he was uncertain of its future.
“I don’t want to close, but the girls have got to support it,” he said. “I’ve always been there for the women. I don’t fully get it. We’ve been there through good times and bad.”
Some of Phase 1’s regular customers speculated that as LGBT rights advances changed the gay and lesbian social scene many former gay bar customers – men and women – feel comfortable going to other clubs that welcome both gays and straights.
City tax records show that although Phase 1 operated in its building at 525 8th St., S.E. for many years, Carroll’s Ft. Washington, Md., based company, AJC II LLC, bought the building in December 2009 for just over $1.8 million. His sale of the building eight years later yielded a profit of just under $1.5 million, city records show.
A large sign hanging on the front wall this week says the building is up for lease and is well suited for a restaurant.
In recent years, the Phase 1 became known as the longest continuously operating lesbian bar in the country. In 1970, when Carroll and his partner Chris Jensen opened the bar, they were among just a small number of gay bar owners who sought to open an exclusively lesbian bar.
Former Phase 1 manager and bartender Angela Lombardi told the Blade in a 2015 interview, when Carol closed the bar for renovation and didn’t make it clear when or if he would reopen, praised Carol for his many years of commitment to keeping the bar open.
“He’s done more than fucking anyone else, more than any lady, more than anyone for our community and for that he deserves serious accolades,” Lombardi said. “He kept it open through thick and thin. That’s his baby. That’s the bar that started it all for him and Chris,” she said.
“Allen has really fought for 45 years to keep those doors open,” she said.
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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