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LGBTQ bars reimagine dining and drinking as D.C. coronavirus restrictions lessen

Restaurants utilize patio seating and plan for Pride

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Pitchers patrons drink outdoors last weekend. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

As Washington moves forward with reopening parks, retailers and restaurants, LGBTQ bars have started to bring back their staff and reimagine dining spaces to welcome customers in their establishments for the first time since March.

Restaurants have started expanding traditional indoor accommodations to outdoor patio seating and increased takeout options. Patrons are required to wear masks when not eating or drinking and encouraged to call ahead of arriving. 

Pitchers Bar D.C. and its sister bar A League of Her Own in Adams Morgan re-opened on May 29 and are now serving food and drinks in three different patio seating areas holding about 50 seats total, as well as offering carryout options. 

Both bars are open Thursday through Sunday at 3 or 5 p.m. depending on staffing (updates on hours are posted on Pitchersā€™ Facebook page). Customers can email [email protected] to make reservations. 

Rachel Pike, a bartender at A League of Her Own and head of security for Pitchers said it was ā€œinitially nervewrackingā€ to begin serving customers at the bar again. But, once the first night was over, Pike said her fears began to ease. 

ā€œ[Opening] was 100 percent worth it to the community. Everyone was ecstatic to be back, drinking the drinks from their bartender and seeing their friends come in and out,ā€ Pike says. 

Freddieā€™s Beach Bar in Arlington has also reopened, utilizing the parking lot to expand outdoor seating as well as offering takeout options. 

Northern Virginia has been put under separate restrictions from the rest of the state and continues to be in phase one of Gov. Ralph Northamā€™s ā€œForward Virginiaā€ plan, while the rest of the state has moved forward in allowing restaurants to have indoor seating at 50 percent capacity. Customers are only able to dine at restaurants with outdoor seating in Northern Virginia, similar to Washingtonā€™s current phase of reopening. 

Freddieā€™s is only serving takeout Tuesday-Thursday. On the weekend, the bar patio opens seating to serve brunch from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sunday. Brunch was served buffet-style prior to coronavirus restrictions, but will now be served individually. 

ā€œI am trying to remain very optimistic and I do think things are slowly getting back to some semblance of normal,ā€ owner Freddie Lutz says. 

The staff at Freddieā€™s Beach Bar told Lutz that they plan to dress in rainbow Pride gear on June 13, when the Capital Pride parade would have taken place. Lutz also said he is brainstorming other ideas to celebrate Pride. 

Nellieā€™s Sports Bar, located on U Street, is currently offering takeout options for patrons without outdoor seating options. Customers can either order on takeout services such as UberEats or Postmates, or directly pick up orders from the restaurant at the two ā€œto-go windows.ā€Ā 

Nellieā€™s owner Doug Shantz says he hopes to offer indoor seating for customers in the next reopening phases. Takeout windows have been successful, he says. 

ā€œWeā€™re just chugging along, taking it ā€¦ day by day,ā€ Shantz says. 

Shantz is planning to serve Pride-themed alcoholic drinks during June, partnering with the vendor Red Bull to create a special ā€œNellieā€™s Drink Pouch.ā€ 

Number Nine, in Logan Circle, is offering limited patio seating, with two four-person tables available. The restaurant opens at 4 p.m. during the week and 2 p.m. on weekends. Carryout options are also available.

Ed Bailey, part owner of Number Nine, says he and his team are having trouble planning Pride-related events for the bar because of restrictions and the unpredictable nature of the last months.

ā€œOne of the things that have helped us be successful is our ability to plan and be very strategic. And currently, the world that we are kind of disallows us from being able to plan anything,ā€ he says. 

Despite the limitations, Bailey is planning to create Pride digital campaigns on Number Nineā€™s social media. 

Each LGBTQ owner said the limitations that come with Phase 1 of reopening is making it hard to turn a profit. But owners say they will do everything in their power to keep their doors open.

ā€œIā€™m a fighter, Iā€™ll make work,ā€ says Dave Perruzza, Pitchers owner.

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D.C. mayor to lift all restrictions on bars, nightclubs on June 11

ā€˜We will definitely be celebrating Prideā€™ next month

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Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday that she will fully lift capacity and other restrictions on most businesses, including restaurants and places of worship, on May 21. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced at a news conference on Monday that a continuing trend of significantly lower numbers of coronavirus cases and deaths in the city has enabled her to fully lift capacity and other restrictions on most businesses, including restaurants and places of worship, on May 21.

The mayor said bars and nightclubs will be allowed to increase indoor capacity from the current 25 percent to 50 percent on May 21, with all capacity restrictions for bars and nightclubs to be removed on June 11.

The mayorā€™s announcement came after representatives of the cityā€™s nightlife businesses, including the cityā€™s gay bars and restaurants, expressed concern that D.C. had yet to lift its capacity restrictions beyond 25 percent while surrounding jurisdictions in Maryland and Virginia had already lifted most restrictions.

ā€œOn May 21, restrictions on public and commercial activity, including capacity limits, types of activities, and time restrictions, will be lifted,ā€ the mayorā€™s directive says.

It says restrictions for bars and nightclubs would continue at a 50 percent capacity from May 21 through June 11. The directive says restrictions for large sports and entertainment venues would also continue from May 21 to June 11, which includes a requirement such events apply for a waiver of the restrictions on a case-by-case basis.

ā€œOn June 11, capacity limits and restrictions will be lifted on those venues that cannot fully reopen on May 21,ā€ the directive says.

In response to a question at the news conference, Bowser said the June 11 date would essentially end all restrictions on nightclubs and bars, including the current requirement that they close at midnight rather than the pre-epidemic closing times of 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends.

In a development that could have a major impact on plans for D.C.ā€™s LGBTQ Pride events, the mayorā€™s revised health directive announced on Monday includes the lifting of all capacity restrictions on large outdoor and indoor sports and entertainment events beginning on June 11.

That change would remove restrictions that have, up until now, prevented D.C.ā€™s Capital Pride Alliance from holding its annual Pride Parade and Festival in June during Pride Month.

Capital Pride Executive Director Ryan Bos told the Washington Blade shortly after the mayorā€™s announcement that Capital Pride is assessing its options for expanding its current plans for in-person events in June.

ā€œWe will definitely be celebrating Pride in June,ā€ Bos said. ā€œWe just received this information as well. So, we will be getting further information,ā€ he said. ā€œWe have not been informed that they will be issuing any permits yet, so at this time we are moving forward with our original plans for doing things.ā€

Bos was referring to a city requirement for obtaining permits for street closings and use of other public spaces for events such as a parade or street festival. He said existing plans, among other things, call for an informal parade of cars and other vehicles on June 12 that will drive throughout the city to view homes and businesses that will be decorated with Pride displays such as signs, photos, and other symbols of Pride.

Those familiar with the cityā€™s past Pride events donā€™t think there will be enough time for Capital Pride to organize the traditional large parade and street festival in time for June. But Capital Pride officials have talked about holding a possible parade and festival in October, and the lifting of the capacity restrictions announced by Bowser on Monday would likely make that possible.

In addition to lifting all capacity restrictions on May 21 for restaurants, the mayorā€™s May 21 timeframe for lifting restrictions includes these additional venues and events:

  • Weddings and special events
  • Business meetings and seated conventions
  • Places of worship
  • Non-essential retail
  • Personal services
  • Private at-home gatherings
  • Libraries, museums, galleries
  • Recreation Centers
  • Gyms and fitness centers
  • Pools
  • Office space
  • Schools
  • Childcare

ā€œWeā€™re very pleased that over the last several days, we have seen our case spread, our community spread numbers, venture out of the red into the yellow and fast approaching the green,ā€ Bowser said in referring to a health department chart that shows the changes in coronavirus cases in the city.

ā€œYou might remember that our daily case rate peaked in January at 45.9. And today you can see itā€™s down to 6.6,ā€ she said at her news conference on Monday.

ā€œThroughout this process I have said how proud I am of D.C. residents and businesses who have responded, who have followed health guidance and have worked together to help protect our community throughout the pandemic. And we see it in these numbers today,ā€ she said.

ā€œContaining the virus will continue to require all of us to be focused on maintaining a robust health system,ā€ the mayor said, adding that while over 200,000 D.C. residents have been fully vaccinated since December 2020, ā€œmany more thousandsā€ still need to be vaccinated. ā€œVaccines are free and available on demand at walk-up sites across the District,ā€ she said.

The mayor also noted that the city will continue to require residents and visitors to use a mask in accordance with existing and updated guidance set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mark Lee, coordinator of the D.C. Nightlife Council, an association that represents restaurants, bars, nightclubs and other entertainment venues, said the mayorā€™s directive on May 10 leaves some details to be addressed but will open the way to bring nightlife businesses back to life.

ā€œWhat we do know is that on Friday, May 21, businesses begin returning to normal operations and, three weeks later, on June 11, all restrictions for all businesses in the District will end,ā€ Lee said. ā€œItā€™s a day weā€™ve long awaited and one that will save much of our community enterprise from financial ruin.ā€

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DC residents with HIV eligible for COVID vaccine

Mayor announces expanded eligibility as vaccine supply increases

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COVID-19 vaccine, gay news, Washington Blade

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on Feb. 24 that D.C. residents between the ages of 16 to 24 who have one of 19 pre-existing medical conditions, including HIV, will now be eligible to make an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

The mayor and D.C. Department of Health Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt said the appointments could be made through the cityā€™s special site,Ā vaccinate.dc.gov, beginning Thursday and Friday, Feb. 25 and 26. The vaccinations themselves for the expanded group of residents, including people with HIV, would begin March 1, the mayor said in an announcement.

Abby Fenton, a spokesperson for Whitman-Walker Health, the D.C. community health center that provides services to the LGBTQ community and people with HIV, said Whitman-Walker has begun contacting its HIV patients about the availability of the COVID vaccine for them.

ā€œWe are urging people to try to make an appointment with the city because we have such a limited supply,ā€ Fenton said. She said Whitman-Walker is dispensing the vaccine for those who the city determines are eligible at its medical center locations at 1425 14thĀ Street, N.W., and at its Max Robinson Center at 2301 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E.

Michael Kharfen, the DOH official in charge of the cityā€™s HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Administration, said the limited supplies of the COVID vaccine that the city has been receiving from the federal government has prevented the allocation of vaccine supplies to community health centers like Whitman-Walker until a few weeks ago.

He said supplies of the vaccine have increased in recent weeks and the Department of Health was hopeful that it will be able to provide additional supplies of the vaccine to community health centers and other facilities and health care providers.

Kharfen noted that the city has been increasing the availability of the vaccine to different groups of residents in stages as supplies have increased. Front line medical workers and nursing home residents were the first to receive the vaccine. The most recent group to become eligible prior to the mayor’s most recent expansion this week were people 65 years of age and older.

The mayorā€™s announcement on Feb. 24 listed these pre-existing medical conditions, including HIV, that would make city residents between the ages of 16 and 64 eligible for the COVID vaccine:

Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and other Chronic Lung Disease; Bone Marrow and Solid Organ Transplantation; Cancer; Cerebrovascular Disease; Chronic Kidney Disease; Congenital Heart Disease; Diabetes Mellitus; Heart Conditions, such as Heart Failure, Coronary Artery Disease, or Cardiomyopathies; HIV; Hypertension; Immunocompromised State; Inherited Metabolic Disorders; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; Liver Disease; Neurologic Conditions; Obesity, BMI ā‰„ 30 kg/m2; Pregnancy; Severe Genetic Disorders; Sickle Cell Disease; and Thalassemia.

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D.C. gay bars struggling to stay open in pandemic

Mayorā€™s new rule banning liquor sales after 10 p.m. called ā€˜devastatingā€™

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gay bar, gay news, Washington Blade
Nellie’s Sports Bar (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

John Guggenmos, co-owner of the D.C. gay bars Number 9 and Trade, says he and his business partners support Mayor Muriel Bowserā€™s efforts to keep people safe as the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 continues to rise in the city.

But Guggenmos and other gay bar owners say the mayorā€™s most recent order requiring bars and restaurants to stop serving alcoholic beverages after 10 p.m. has had a devastating impact on what had already been a major decline in business since the COVID restrictions were put in place earlier this year.

ā€œWe see hope on the horizon,ā€ Guggenmos said. ā€œBut for many places itā€™s just going to be too late. It is sad because even if I am in a position that we can weather this storm better, if other places in the neighborhood donā€™t, then we all suffer.ā€

Exterior of Trade, which is working to serve customers amid new 10 p.m. cutoff for alcohol sales. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

David Perruzza, owner of the Adams Morgan gay sports bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own, said gay bar customers traditionally come out to the clubs after 9 p.m. and often remain there several hours later.

Under the mayorā€™s current Phase II rules for addressing the COVID health emergency all restaurants and bars must close at midnight, two hours earlier than the pre-epidemic closing time of 2 a.m. during the week and three hours sooner than the normal 3 a.m. closing time on weekends. That restriction by itself has resulted in a significant drop in revenue for bars and nightclubs, including LGBTQ clubs, officials with the clubs have said.

The new restriction put in place last month banning liquor sales after 10 p.m. allows bars and restaurants to continue to stay open until midnight. But Guggenmos, Perruzza and other bar owners say few if any customers would likely come in to order non-alcoholic beverages. Thus they and nearly all of the cityā€™s bar and restaurant owners have decided to close at 10 p.m. until the restrictions are lifted, a development that has further curtailed their businesses.

ā€œIā€™ve had the worst two weekends of my life at the bar,ā€ said Perruzza in referring to the weekends following the ban on liquor sales after 10 p.m. ā€œI canā€™t sustain a business this way,ā€ he said.

Pitchers (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, director of the D.C. Department of Health, has said city inspectors have found that more violations of the COVID-related health restrictions at restaurants and bars, such as social distancing and mask wearing, were occurring after 10 p.m. as patrons consumed more alcohol. But nightlife advocates have disputed claims that riskier behavior occurs after 10 p.m. They say there are no studies or data to back up those claims.

Perruzza said he understands that while the mayorā€™s intention is to curtail the spread of the coronavirus he believes the 10 p.m. cutoff on alcohol service will result in large numbers of bar customers going to private parties in peopleā€™s homes where there will be fewer safeguards to curtail the virus.

ā€œBy her doing this she is going to push people to have more house parties,ā€ Perruzza said. ā€œAt least if theyā€™re in a restaurant or bar theyā€™re in a controlled environment where they take their temperature. They make sure everything is sanitized after people leave,ā€ Perruzza said. ā€œPeople are not required to wear masks when they go to house parties.ā€

Prior to the start of the pandemic, D.C. was home to at least 15 gay bars or nightclubs in which the clientele was largely LGBTQ. A number of other D.C. bars and nightclubs are considered LGBTQ friendly, according to gay D.C. nightlife advocate Mark Lee, who said those additional establishments have a significant LGBTQ clientele.

In March, Bowser issued her initial emergency health order requiring all ā€œnon-essentialā€ businesses, including bars and restaurants, to temporarily close their indoor operations to customers in an effort to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. Carryout food and drink orders were allowed, and some of the gay clubs joined other bars and restaurants in putting in place a take-out order business.

A short time later, the DC Eagle, the cityā€™s longest continuously operating gay bar, announced it was permanently closing. The Eagleā€™s majority owner filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy following longstanding financial problems, but many of the Eagleā€™s customers believe the pandemic played some role in the permanent shutdown.

At the same time, the popular LGBTQ nightclub Ziegfeldā€™s-Secrets closed its doors indefinitely after the owner of the building where it was located in the cityā€™s Buzzardā€™s Point area invoked its longstanding plan to demolish the building to make way for a new condominium and retail development. Ziegfeldā€™s-Secrets manager Steve Delurba said the club would like to reopen in a new location but efforts to reopen would have to wait until all COVID-19 restrictions on such establishments were lifted.

Among the cityā€™s remaining 13 LGBTQ bars and clubs, all but one has reopened after the mayor put in place the cityā€™s Phase II business reopening plan in June, which allowed bars, restaurants, and other businesses to resume limited indoor operations.

The Fireplace, a gay bar at 2161 P St., N.W. near Dupont Circle, decided to remain closed rather than operate under the COVID restrictions but ā€œdefinitelyā€ plans to reopen, according Larry Ray, a longtime customer who said he spoke with one of the owners.

Among the other Phase II restrictions for bars, restaurants and nightclubs put in place by Bowser in the spring was the requirement that such establishments must operate at 50 percent of their normal indoor capacity, all patrons must be seated at tables spaced six feet apart, and at least three food items must be served that are prepared on the premises regardless of whether the establishment was exempt from serving food prior to the pandemic. The Phase II order also bans the establishments from offering live entertainment.

Two weeks ago, when the mayor issued her updated order banning the serving of alcoholic beverages after 10 p.m. at bars and restaurants, she also included in the order a reduction in the capacity of customers from 50 percent to 25 percent based on concern that the number of COVID-19 cases was rising in D.C. after the case number had gone down in the spring and summer.

Perruzza told the Blade that due to the Phase II social distancing requirements and the spacing of tables and the ban on allowing customers to stand except to walk in and out and go to the bathroom, Pitchers and his adjoining bar A League of Her Own were never able to reach a 50 percent capacity. At most, he said, he was able to reach a 33 percent capacity, which now must be reduced to 25 percent.

Meanwhile, the D.C. gay bar Dirty Goose at 913 U St., N.W. is among the establishments hit with a fine for allegedly violating the Phase II food serving requirement. According to a report in the Washington City Paper, an inspector from the cityā€™s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration on Nov. 27 cited Dirty Goose for serving only cookies as a food item, saying it failed to provide at least two other types of food such as popcorn or brownies instead of just cookies.

Co-owner Justin Parker told City Paper he plans to contest the citation on grounds that the establishment serves multiple types of cookies that are prepared on the premises and that the different types should be accepted as different food types. He said that ABRA inspectors came to Dirty Goose six or seven times in November prior to citing him for the food violation and found his establishment to be in full compliance with all of the COVID related requirements.

On its Facebook page the Dirty Goose announced on Nov. 10 that it had voluntarily closed its doors after one of its employees tested positive for COVID and out of caution it would remain closed until all remaining employees were tested. On Nov. 15 it announced ā€œwe have received all our employees test results and we are ready to reopen,ā€ which happened less than a week later.

In a Nov. 25 Facebook message, Dirty Goose conveyed what appears to be the sentiment shared by the other LGBTQ bar owners and operators.

ā€œFirst, we would like to thank all of our wonderful family of patrons who have kept us going since May,ā€ the message says. ā€œWhat a crazy 8 months itā€™s been!ā€ After announcing the Dirty Goose would be closing at 10 p.m. each day due to the mayorā€™s order banning alcohol sales after that hour, the message added, ā€œWe look forward to continue serving all of you and please know we are continuously following the safety requirements set by the DOH and the safety of our staff and patrons remains our main priority.ā€

Dirty Goose was recently fined for allegedly violating rules about serving three kinds of food to remain open. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Lee, the longtime D.C. nightlife advocate who served as director of the D.C. Nightlife Council before being furloughed, said the 10 p.m. cutoff for the sale of liquor at bars and restaurants will be especially harmful coming with all the other restrictions.

ā€œThe most maddening aspect of Mayor Bowser suddenly halting all alcohol consumption after 10 p.m. at local bars, restaurants, and nightclubs operating in full compliance with public safety protocols and highly restricted service limitations is that there is no actual data or evidence-based rationale for this financially devastating roll-back curfew,ā€ Lee told the Blade.

ā€œThis arbitrary edict jeopardizes the survival of hospitality establishments by causing them to lose the major portion of revenue they had been able to generate,ā€ he said. ā€œWeā€™re getting reports that this decision is costing operators up to 60 percent or more of the little money they were making, leaving most with no choice other than to shut down two hours earlier rather than attempt to now serve only food items and non-alcoholic beverages until midnight,ā€ Lee said.

Lee noted that at a press conference on Dec. 7, Bowser acknowledged that nightlife establishments, including restaurants and bars, have done an exemplary job of complying with health requirements and providing a safe space for patrons and employees.

At that press conference the mayor also said she looks forward to being able to lift all restrictions on businesses once the COVID vaccine becomes widely available. But she said that with a resurgence of COVID cases in D.C. in recent weeks along with the rise in cases in the surrounding suburbs the city could be forced once again to order the complete shutdown of indoor operations of businesses like restaurants and bars if the local COVID situation worsens.

Perruzza, Guggenmos and Doug Schantz, owner of the gay sports bar Nellieā€™s at 900 U St., N.W., each said their establishments and others like them serve as a place where LGBTQ people can go to be themselves, which many are unable to do at work, school, or even at home in some situations.

ā€œAt some point safe human interactions are what people are craving,ā€ said Guggenmos. ā€œYou see someone on the street and how they desperately just want that interaction again,ā€ he said. ā€œIf we could do that safely, why not?ā€

D.C.ā€™s LGBTQ Bars/Restaurants

Nellieā€™s Sports Bar
900 U Street, N.W.
202-332-6355

Uproar
639 Florida Ave., N.W.
202-462-4464

The Dirty Goose
913 U Street, N.W.

JR.ā€™s
1519 17th Street, N.W.
202-328-0090

Windows/DIK Bar
Upper floor at Dupont Italian Kitchen
1637 17th Street, N.W.
202-328-0100

Annieā€™s Paramount Steakhouse restaurant/bar
1609 17th Street, N.W.
202-232-0395

Larryā€™s Lounge
1840 18th Street, N.W.
202-483-1483

Pitchers/League of Her Own
2317 18th Street, N.W.
202-733-2558

Duplex Diner
2004 18th Street, N.W.
202-265-7828

The Fireplace
2161 P Street, N.W.
202-293-1293
[Temporarily closed during pandemic]

Number Nine
1435 P Street, N.W.
202-986-0999

Trade
1410 14th Street, N.W.
202-986-1094

Green Lantern
1335 Green Court, N.W.
202-347-4533

D.C. LGBTQ-friendly Bars/Clubs

Dacha Beer Garden
1600 7th Street, N.W.
202-350-9888

9:30 Club
815 V Street, N.W.
202-265-0930

DC 9 Nightclub
1940 9th Street, N.W.
202-483-5000

Ditoā€™s Bar
Lower floor at Floriana Restaurant
1602 17th Street, N.W.
202-667-5937

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
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