Q-Seattle Events: Tacky Tourist Clubs

When last we came across a print edition of Spokane's gay paper, Stonewall News Northwest, a banner on the front page of the bi-weekly paper announced that the May 2 issue would be "Our Final Issue; Stonewall suspends publishing".

A letter from then-publisher Mike Schultz explained

...the fun has become increasingly lost on the struggles of declining advertising revenue... While Stonewall has enjoyed a circulation and readership that has tripled over the last two years, stable advertising revenue has declined. ... So what happened to Stonewall? Something very simple actually. Our advertisers didn't hear from you, our reader.

Schultz said that "a deepening relationship with my partner and building our lives together have also taken priority over the cost of personal time for the outreach that it takes to keep our community engaged with Stonewall," but offered a ray of hope that "someone motivated and committed to a level of outreach that transcends the insulated tendency of our community" would buy the paper.

It turns out, that that's exactly what happened, but not without a fair share of drama.

A July 14 story by reporter Donna Tam in Spokane's daily, The Spokesman-Review, tells a story that hints at the messy intrigue that followed. (A note first about that link: It's remarkable that you can actually read an S-R story on the web. Until recently, they hid most of their stories behind a firewall that not only required a nasty registration process -- something too many papers do, but also restricted web readership to those who subscribe to the paper's dead-tree edition. Maybe they had a deal with Weyerhauser, but things seem to have opened up a bit. Something to do with that McClatchy "RealCities" logo that now appears on the page? Maybe... But that's different media story.)

Fred Swink, described in the S-R story as a "recent Chicago transplant" took over the paper in June, but it wasn't exactly a smooth transition, according to the daily.

Since Fred Swink became Stonewall News Northwest's publisher last month, the paper has faced staffing issues and what Swink called an attack on its Web site, leaving Stonewall unable to publish a print edition.

Swink said Stonewall News' Web site was dismantled by a "disgruntled staff member" who managed the site and laid out the print edition. He said the staff member, whom he declined to name, made editorial changes to the paper during layout without consulting Swink and lifted Associated Press wire stories without attributing them or subscribing to the service.

Former arts and entertainment editor Christopher Lawrence identified Stonewall News' previous publisher, Mike Schultz, as the person who worked on layout and the Web site.

Schultz, Stonewall?s publisher for two years, confirmed that he took down the Web site. He said it was not included in the sale of the newspaper.

"They were on loan to Fred Swink as a courtesy," Schultz explained. "It would be fair to say that courtesy has expired."

Schultz said Swink's other assertions are false. Both he and Swink decided that Schultz should separate from the paper after a disagreement about the layout.

For anyone who vaguely watches what happens with these little ink-on-dead-tree outfits, that's juicy stuff. Proof: Tam is able to use the adjective "disgruntled."

It turns at that the "former arts and entertainment editor Christopher Lawrence" became "former" only after Swink took over. After working at the paper since 2004, he resigned "citing creative differences with Swink." As often happens with the staff of gay papers (in our view, unfortunately), Lawrence is also a community activist, serving as chairman of the board at OutSpokane, the nonprofit that runs Spokane?s Pride Parade and Rainbow Festival.

"I think it's tragic," Lawrence said of the tribulations of the paper in the last year. "I'd like to just get back to putting out a paper that is a community paper."

The paper is an important part of the local gay community, said Lawrence. ... "It helps us see ourselves as a very diverse community," Lawrence said of Stonewall. "We don't just go to bars. We don?t just do drag. We don?t just wear leather. We live on farms. We have families."

We didn't see many issues of the paper, but we were always impressed with it when we saw it. It almost always offered a unique local slant on gay news that went beyond republishing press releases -- something often missing from its west-of-the-mountains big brother.

One thing it didn't have, however, was much of a web presence. The best they could manage on their former website were headlines and pdf copies of the print edition's pages. Who knows, given the daily's odd web policies, maybe what Schultz identified as the "insulated tendency of our community" applies more broadly to the Spokane area.

Whatever ends up happening to the print edition under Swink, the paper at least boasts a slightly better website. He's apparently regained control of the url at stonewallnews.net, and offers a website with actual stories on the web. (Unfortunately, in keeping with that "insulated tendency," reading beyond the headline currently requires registration.)

We wish them well, but hope they break Spokane tradition and get rid of that registration requirement.

Labels: gay business, gay news, gay organization, Washington

The new space for The Elite Lounge (nee Tavern) on Olive Way is still in construction-permit limbo*, but there is at least some vague sign that things may be moving. An application was filed last week for a construction permit on the site. The application, filed by a local architect, was accepted by the city's Department of Planning and Development (DPD). According to the application, a "full review" is still required by DPD before a permit would be granted.

On January 31, the same day that the bar was serving its last drink at its long-time Broadway location, an inspector from DPD placed a red-tag "stop work order" on the door of the proposed new location at 1520 E. Olive Way. The inspector was responding to an unspecified complaint, according to the DPD database record.

The inspector noted

Cutting a hole in an existing wall between 1518 & 1520 E Olive Way, removing walls, adding walls, replacing toilet fixtures, changing the use to a bar (The Elite) requires permits and inspections from DPD. STOP WORK ORDER posted 1/31/07.

The newly-filed application includes a "mechanical review," according to the DPD record, and describes the proposed work as

Alterations to combine two spaces into one and Change use from retail to restaurant per plans.

When it closed its doors on Broadway, a bartender at The Elite said that they hoped to have the new space open by Valentine's Day. That ambitious two-week schedule has now stretched into months. It will now have to wait even longer as DPD follows its glacial review schedule to decide whether a permit will be granted for the new space.

[ *Limbo itself, in case you hadn't heard, is about to be treated even more cavalierly than Pluto. It may be declared non-existent.]

Labels: gay bar, gay business, Gay Seattle

At its annual awards dinner held March 2 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) gave awards to Herban Feast, Fuel Coffee, Tamara Murphy of BRASA, Three Dollar Bill Cinema, and many more.

The annual awards ceremony, now in its 26th year, recognizes businesses and individuals "who have exemplified best practices in business and also demonstrated outstanding community philanthropy and leadership," according to a GSBA press release.

The winners and nominees are:

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: Herban Feast

Owner BJ Duft epitomizes dedication, caring and enthusiasm. With more than 2,000 events catered in the past four years, Herban Feast has a proven track record. Herban Feast Catering is the first catering company in the greater Puget Sound area to become a member of Puget Sound Fresh, a coalition of businesses supporting local, sustainable farms. The company has provided support and donated their services to a breathtaking array of causes.

Other nominees: James Alan Salon, X-BAR (tech services)

NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: Fuel Coffee

Owner Dani Cone is quick to credit the success of Fuel Coffee to the support and loyalty of her customers. . Her business is booming; she has two locations open now and plans a third in Wallingford soon. Cone thrives on competition and believes this competitive spirit has been one of her greatest assets. Community involvement is vital to Cone's spirit, and she is an integral part of the neighborhoods in which her businesses are located.

Other nominees: CGB Tech Solutions; Kaladi Brothers Coffee; Purr Cocktail Lounge; Spencer, Anderson, Buhr, PLLC

NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR: Three Dollar Bill Cinema

For 11 years, Three Dollar Bill Cinema has fostered an environment in which diverse sections of the community can come together in support and appreciation of LGBT film and filmmakers. They provide a global visibility for Seattle's LGBT community through the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. Incredibly, they have accomplished this feat without the benefit of paid staff, relying solely on their volunteers to implement the program.

Other nominees: Seattle Counseling Service, Verbena

BUSINESS WOMAN OF THE YEAR: Tamara Murphy (BRASA Restaurant)

World-renowned chef and co-owner of Brasa Restaurant for eight years, Murphy is a local icon. It is a challenge for any new restaurant to succeed, yet Murphy has firmly established herself as a fixture on the local scene. She credits the success of her business to her staff and her determination to be the best at what she does Murphy is proud to report most of her ingredients are seasonal, locally-grown and organic from sustainable sources. She's quite active in her community.

Other nominees: Camille Colaizzo, Colaizzo Opticians; Joy Wood, Wells Fargo Bank:

BUSINESS MAN OF THE YEAR: Roy Hamrick (Hamrick Investment Counsel)

Hamrick credits his success to perseverance, integrity, and passion for what he does. He cites his membership in GSBA as crucial in encouraging him to think that he really could be successful in running a business. His early volunteer work with nonprofits was the key for him in developing contacts and skills necessary to be able to be a successful businessman. His list of community involvement is impressive.

Other nominees: Dr. Felix Marcial, DDS; Michael Wells, Bailey Coy Books

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP: Beth Reis

Reis has been quietly working for the past 27 years to make our local, state, national and international communities safer for our children and those who teach them. As founder and co-chair of the Safe Schools Coalition, Reis' work reduces bias-based bullying and violence in schools. With a mere $20,000 annual budget, Reis is able to draw upon collaborations with the public and private sectors to educate, advocate and intervene on behalf of individual students, educators and families experiencing sexual orientation and identity-based harassment and violence. Her program has become the role model in at least 41 states, six Canadian provinces and eight countries around the world.

Other nominees: Debbie Bird, Sarah Luthens

SPECIAL RECOGNITION/ACTIVIST EXTRAORDINAIRE: Jody Laine and Shad Reinstein

Sometimes ordinary people do extraordinary things, and sometimes, those extraordinary accomplishments are done by very extraordinary folks. What does it take to do activist work for nearly 30 years? How is it possible to stay that involved and not get burned out, but on the contrary continue to be energized to tackle new issues - to care about peace, the LGBT community, women's rights, labor issues, issues of racism, classism and every other ism -- but most importantly to stay connected, involved and have the ability to lead and inspire others to get involved -- from the Peace Camp, board service on international, national and local organizations, grassroots to major political organizing using tactics from nonviolent civil disobedience, education, demonstrations, theater and now film.

An award for Creating Social Change through the Arts was given to three locally produced films:

A Journey of Spirit is a wonderfully vibrant and moving film that makes us laugh, cry and sing! Ann Coppel's thought-provoking documentary explores the transformation of liberal Jewish worship over the past 30 years through the inspirational story of pre-eminent American Jewish singer/songwriter, Debbie Friedman.

Inlaws and Outlaws by Drew Emery, is a film built around intimate, first-person storytelling. Shot in the summer of 2004, and funded, in part, by a development grant from the Mayor's office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, this film goes beyond rhetoric and straight to the heart. Whether loving inside or outside of marriage, struggling to get in or suing to get out, we follow the lives of ordinary folks s that navigate their own path to happily every after.

Mom's Apple Pie which was written, produced and directed by Three Big Dykes, comprised of Jody Laine, Shan Ottey and Shad Reinstein. It is the story of the custody struggle and courage faced by Lesbian mothers in the 70's and the organization that formed to advocate on their behalf, The Lesbian Mothers National Defense Fund.

Labels: gay business, gay organization, Gay Seattle

A cross-link from Seattlest (which we, from our spot on the blogger D-List, always appreciate) does bring up some interesting questions about what happens in those Alaska towns when a boat filled with over a thousand gay cruisers makes its port call.

That many men (mostly) in one town at one time will tip the town's sexual balance toward the time when John Nordstrom was still looking for gold in the ground instead of gold from the shoes on people's feet. The folks in Ketchikan, Sitka, and Juneau may have adjusted to their semi-regular influx of cruise-tourists, but how prepared are they for something like this?

Googling "gay ketchikan" brings up several gay dating sites, a news story about someone named "Carol Gay," and several articles about scheduled gay cruises stopping there, but not much else. Sitka? Pretty much the same. Since it's the capitol city and a college town, Juneau offers more resources. There are a couple of locally-branded, but non-local city guides, but also this guide from a group called SEAGLA ("sea" there is for Southeast Alaska rather than Seattle and "gla" is the expected "gay and lesbian alliance"). It's a great attempt to answer what they say is an oft-repeated question, "What is it like to live and work in Juneau?"

If we can summarize a bit unfairly, the answer seems to be that it's like living and working in any moderately tolerant small city with a state capitol and college -- in other words, not all that uncomfortable. And, hey, they have a "huge Fred Meyer" and (let us exhale our urban sighs on this) a WalMart "coming soon."

They offer this advice and/or warning to visitors: "There are essentially no "Gay" or "Lesbian" destinations in S.E.Alaska. Gay or Lesbian travelers will generally want to plan their trips just the same as any other visitor. "

Unless, of course, you're on a big gay boat in the harbor. In that case, you might want to check out the trinkets, points of interest, and on-shore tours "the same as any other visitor" but head back to the boat for the cruising and for, umm... cruising.

Labels: Alaska, gay business, tourism

Cruise Planners, Inc., an Albuquerque cruise company (which sounds a bit odd, but they do have a big salt-water aquarium there in the mountain desert), will sponsor the Alaskan Gold Rush Cruise, an all-gay big-ship charter cruise from Seattle this fall aboard Seattle-based Holland America's flagship, the ms Amsterdam.

And when we say "big ship," we do mean big ship. The Amsterdam is expected leave from Terminal 30 in Seattle at 4pm on September 7 with 1380 guests -- all of them either gay or friendly enough to book passage on a cruise marketed exclusively to the gay market.

The cruise itinerary includes stops in Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan in Alaska along with sightseeing on the Puget Sound, Inland Passage, Stevens Passage, and Glacier Bay. The ship will stop for a Thursday evening outing in Victoria, BC before returning to Seattle at 7am Friday, September 14.

The Alaska cruise is one of ten gay cruises sponsored by Cruise Planners for 2007.

Chuck Kantrowitz of Cruise Planners explained that their gay cruises feature special entertainments geared to the crowd. The schedules, he said, include "tea dances, costume parties, gay comedians, newlywed game, large on-deck parties, super hero's parties, cabaret, singles mixers, hypnotists and such all geared toward gay passengers."

Kantrowitz said that the exact entertainment lineup for the Alaskan cruise won't be scheduled until June, but added that "likely talent" for the week will include local favorite DJ Kimberly S., Deborah Cox, Abigail, DJ Manny Lehman, and DJ De Leon.

He said that past entertainers on their gay cruises have been Joan Rivers, Rosie O'Donnell, Mario Cantone, Margaret Cho, Blondie, Patti Lupone, Bruce Vilanch, and Roseanne. "There is always a great show on board," Kantrowitz assured us.

Cost? Well, they don't say on their website, but you can call Cruise Planners at 866-899-4425 or send a question over their web form. The ship offers a range of accommodations from huge penthouse veranda suites to inside staterooms.

Labels: Alaska, gay business, Gay events, Gay Seattle, Seattle, tourism

Here's proof that a single voter can make a significant difference on the outcome of our much-criticized gay bars tourney: Even the most popular conference, Dancing, currently has garnered only 17 votes. The Cuff is now tied with Neighbours. Sugar has yet to get even a single vote. Click below and observe how you can change that.

7 choices

The prize

And why should you care? We're not sure it will make a lot of difference, but here's what the winners will get: Free web advertising.

During February and March, we'll display the logos of five conference champions on our much-visited Gay Bars map page. The single champion after the March Mania tournament will get its logo displayed for two months, April and May. (After that the business would have to become a sponsor of the Queen City Cruise -- which costs several hundred dollars -- to get a logo displayed there.)

Which five get displayed next month? As metblogs said, you'll need to get out your #2 pencil to figure out any of this stuff, but the five logos that will be displayed will be determined by post-regular-season power rankings: Logos of the winners of the five conferences with the most votes will be displayed after a coin-flip tie-breaker if necessary.

(As things stand right now, the winner of the Dancing conference would get top display.)

Labels: gay bar, gay bar vote, gay business, Gay Seattle

The condo-review blog urbnlivn.com takes a look at the five-story retail/condo development that will replace the block that now houses manray [see map], Cha Cha Lounge, and other "beloved neighborhood watering holes" in "a series of charmingly dilapidated low-rise buildings."

In a PR talk with a neighborhood group, the developers of the large development "made clear that the new complex would not include bars, given that homeowners will inevitably complain about the noise."

In an article "The Death of Pike/Pine," The Stranger recently noted that the developer of this and all-too-similar retail/residential units in the corridor market the neighborhood for its "vibrancy," but then sap that vibrancy with unimaginative marketing.

When developers talk about "vibrancy," what they mean is places like the Cha Cha, Bimbo's, Manray, the Bus Stop, R Place, Bauhaus, Babeland, and dozens of other small, independent businesses. Pike/Pine wouldn't be "vibrant" without those businesses. Yet as empty lots get harder and harder to come by, developers are increasingly gobbling up land that's already occupied -- by the very businesses that make the area attractive for development in the first place. What goes up in their place is often chichi salons (like Swoon in the Braeburn), chain stores (like Kinko's at the north end of Broadway), non-retail uses (like the builder and architect who fill two of three storefronts at the new-ish 615 East Pike lofts) and, frequently, empty storefronts.

The developer of the Pine + Belmont complex, Wade Metz of Murray Franklyn, told the community group that lease prices in their new retail spaces will be double what current tenants pay. "[H]e also indicated that the considerably higher rents will make it unlikely that funky neighborhood businesses [will] become tenants."

So the Stranger's concerns about the neighborhood seem to be born out by the developer's remarks. Although it's a block up the hill, one has to wonder if R-Place's third-floor dance space won't produce too much "noise" for the sensitive ears of of Metz's prospective residents.

It's not like the funkyness-sapping retail is inevitable with new development. Just three blocks north of Pine + Belmont, Metropolitain Cafe found a home in the base of a relatively new condo development. Metropolitain is the kind of independent business and bar that contributes to the neighborhood's vibe.

But that's not the kind of place Metz and his firm know how to deal with . They seem to know how to market a "pristine community" of fake Craftsman-style suburban houses. But they're out of their element on Capitol Hill. And the neighborhood will suffer for it.

Labels: gay bar, gay business, Seattle

It's 2pm on a Monday afternoon in The Elite Tavern on Broadway [see map]. There are four men in the bar. Over the next half hour another dozen men will drop by, but most stay for only a drink or two.

Gus sips on an MGD beer as he works a sudoku puzzle at a tiny table near the narrow bar's large plate-glass windows. "I'm an afternoon kinda guy," he explains. "I don't go out much at night, but I like to get a beer in the afternoon." He says that the old Seattle classic, Rainier, was his long-time choice but he makes do now with MGD or Pabst.

"I don't want anything fancy," he said. He appreciates The Elite as a place to get a cheap, basic beer early in the day.

The Elite is one of the few places where one can still do that on north Broadway. That will change late this month when The Elite closes its Broadway location after nearly 30 years on the street. But the Capitol Hill institution is not dying. In February, The Elite will reopen at a new and much larger location down the hill at Olive and Denny.

Robert Bault, the bar's owner for the last five years, told the Capitol Hill Times that the move is sad and regrettable, but said he's happy with the new space.

"We really needed more room," said Bault. "I'd been trying to expand at the old location for years but never got a straight answer from the owners."

Bault had been operating without a lease for the last two years. When the Jade Pagada closed last summer he became suspicious that the building's owners would want the Elite out as well. Such suspicions proved correct in November when Bault, along with the Da Lat Vietnamese restaurant next door, received word he had to leave.

"The owners never put a dime into this building, and I wasn't able to improve it because I couldn't get a lease," Bault said.

Justin, the Monday afternoon bartender who has worked at The Elite for about two years told us he's excited by the move. "We'll be stepping into a whole new bar," he said. He waved at the classic bar cooler behind him and noted that the equipment in the current location has seen better days. "Everything will be new down there," he said. "It will be amazing."

Justin said the he and everyone else on the bar's staff will be moving with it to the new location.

That pleases Jak, who orders a second beer from Justin. He said he's been coming to the bar since '78 and plans to follow it to its new location. "It's the people I've met here," he says, trying to explain his loyalty to the tavern. "The people and the bartenders."

But Jak and others at the bar admit that they expect the new location to feel different than the current Elite which is about the width and length of two bowling alley lanes. The new location will be over twice the size and will -- for the first time at The Elite -- offer pool, video games, darts and even net access for computers. The lofty space on Olive will even have a balcony with tables for net surfing.

The new space at 1520 E. Olive Way also puts The Elite in close proximity to several other gay bars. The Crescent -- another classic -- is just a block down the street. Metropolitain is four blocks uphill on Olive and Seattle Eagle is a mostly flat four-block walk to the south.


Jak expects changes at the new location because of its size and location. "It will be different, being by other places like that. It will draw a different cross-section of people," he said.

The original mahogany bar from the Broadway location will be moved to the new location, Bault told the Times, along with its staff and many of its customers.

Karl sips on a virgin Mary at the opposite end of the long bar from Jak. ("I quit drinking years ago," he explains.) He, too, expects big changes at the new location, but plans to show up for an occasional afternoon non-drink drink. "It's actually closer to where I live now," he says. "I think it will work out."

"It's certainly too bad we can't take all of the history with us," Bault told the Capitol Hill Times. "If I didn't have to move I wouldn't have. But in the end we'll be bigger and better than ever." At least a part of the bar's long history is bound to move along with the name, the staff, and the customers.

Jak looked fore to aft in the long bar and sighed. "We had some good times in here," he said.

Labels: gay bar, gay business, Gay Seattle

This double storefront at 1520 E. Olive Way at Denny will become the new and much larger home to The Elite in February. [More later.]

Labels: gay bar, gay business, Gay Seattle, Seattle

The rumors are true. The Elite on Broadway [see map], the oldest gay bar on Capitol Hill and second oldest in town will serve its last drink at the end of January. Chalk this one up, not to condo development, but to the percieved "need" to serve cars and the people who want to park them near Broadway.

[Update 1/7/06: As noted in the comments to this post, The Elite will close on Broadway, but will be back with a new bar on Olive Way "by Valentine's Day."]

According to a story in the Capitol Hill Times, rental agreements for both The Elite and Da Lat, a Vietnamese restaurant next door were not renewed. They must close by the end of January.

Da Lat's owner told Times editor Doug Schwartz that the building owners wanted to find ways to make money from the small parking lot behind the two buildings.

Craig Swanson, whose family owns the building, agreed that the issue of the parking lot was key in the decision to sever ties with Da Lat and The Elite. He said that given the parking shortage on and near Broadway, the fact the the back parking lot was mostly empty was something that his [ownership] group could not ignore.

"This is woefully underutilized real estate," he said. "The building is dilapidated and needs plumbing and electrical updates....

"[T]here are very few properties on Broadway that are able to offer parking. We have it and we've done a few job taking advantage of it historically, and that needed to change."

Swanson added, "I had no desire to wreck an institution like the Elite. I wish I could paint a prettier picture, but it's pretty cut-and-dry."

When Alex Veltri opened The Elite in 1979 as a gay bar, most existing bars were downtown. But even when more bars opened on the Hill, most were on the south side along what's come to be known as the Pike-Pine corridor. The Elite took advantage of its unique location packing men into its small space every weekend and most weeknights.

It was widely said to have served more Budweiser than any other bar in Seattle at a time when bars were mostly restricted to serving beer and wine.

Its popularity waned as its crowd aged (or -- as happened all too often in that dreadful decade -- died), but it has remained a classic destination for many.

[Update adds Capitol Hill Times link.]

Labels: gay bar, gay business, Gay Seattle

Journey Out is a Seattle-based gay tour group with a national focus that guides small groups of gay tourists on world-wide excursions. Just one example: A Christmas and New Year's excursion to Rio de Janeiro. You could (if you were the late-planning type) enjoy the winter holiday in the southern hemisphere summer for only (well... considering) $3500.

The latest addition to their globe-hopping schedule of tours is "Bears in the Sun" -- an August tour of the Greek islands co-sponsored and hosted by A Bear's Life magazine. The Aegean excursion is highlighted by stops in Mykonos, Santorini and Athens. If you're inclined to join in, you'd actually have time to plan for this one since it's scheduled for August 27 - September 4, 2007. Cost: $2,190 if you book by Feb. 1, 2007. As usual for Journey Out tours, airfare to the excursion's starting point is not included in the price, but travel and luxury accommodation during the tour is included.

Journey Out offers an array of these kinds of specialized small-group tours for gay men. On all of them, the group is accompanied by a well-traveled Journey Out guide. The schedules generally include both group activities like scheduled breakfasts and plenty of time for tourists to explore on their own.

If you've wanted to invite old friends to Seattle but didn't want to spend days as a tour guide, you could point them toward the $1000 "Experience Seattle" tour August 8 to 12, 2007. That one even includes an (optional) ticket to our own Queen City Cruise: Pier Pressure tour on August 11, 2007.

Labels: gay bear, gay business, Gay Seattle, travel