Gay bars in cleveland

When Governor Mike DeWine ordered bars and clubs to gay down in March to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Kevin Briggs panicked. Gay bars and nightclubs in Cleveland and nationally had been closing at high rates for more than a decade before the pandemic, according to research by an Oberlin College professor. Would the pandemic add to these closures?

Not in Cleveland. Vibe and the handful of Cleveland gay bars and nightclubs in business before the pandemic, remain open. Briggs remembers the anxiety he felt when he first learned of the shutdown, long before vaccines were available. The Payroll Protection Program eventually helped cover employee wages for Vibe and other gay bars in Cleveland, but business owners had to dig into their own pockets to cover other expenses: internet, utilities, maintenance cleveland.

Like other gay bar owners in gay, Briggs and his husband had other sources of income to keep the lights on through the three-month shutdown. But the subsequent reopening in May posed further challenges. There were new expenses — masks, sanitizers, signage. Events that bring customers and additional revenue to town — like CLAWthe national annual leather event downtown — were canceled.

Social-distancing requirements limited the number of people who could be served and fear of COVID restrained the number who wanted to be. And while most people obeyed mask mandates and social-distancing rules, others resisted the health orders. That rate has been much higher in Cleveland due to population declines.

Depending on the night, the dance floor at Twist is packed, the pool tables at Cocktails are full, the stage at Vibe is booked, and the heated bar at the Leather Stallion Saloon is the place to be. You could bar that energy at the bar. In the year-plus since vaccines and boosters were made widely available and government health orders on businesses were lifted, people have begun doing more of what they used to do.

For the gays of Cleveland in particular that often means going out. Sassy Saschaa cis-female drag queen who hosts events at Vibe, Twist, and other venues throughout the city. Like many entertainers, she took her routine online to stay connected with her audience during the pandemic cleveland missed the rush of a live audience.

Nevertheless, COVID is still here, and many people who used to go to gay bars before the pandemic are still staying home, some out of an abundance of caution and others because of lifestyle changes. Greggor Mattson, whose partner is immunocompromised, is one of those people. Advances in technology and sociological changes were stressing gay bars even before the pandemic, he said.

Cleveland Gay Bars

Pride flags fly outside of all types of businesses — from board game cafes to coffee shops in addition to other bars. Cruising has become app-based. Also alcohol consumption habits are changing. Although many people drank more during the pandemic, there are indications that some people — especially Millennials — are cutting back on drinking.

The rise of the Delta and Omicron variants caused further disruptions in business for many places, raising concerns about future waves.