Gay bars in appleton
Rascals has long been a gay refuge in Appleton
APPLETON - As this city's only gay block, Rascals Bar and Grill is about more than drinking.
Regulars can rattle off names of friends they've met at the East Wisconsin Road establishment, and list examples of when they were at Rascals for significant milestones — a wedding reception, the celebration of the legalization of gay marriage or a holiday.
"This place is my second home; these people are my family," said Josh McKenney, a bartender there. "This is where I come to be with my people."
Once again last week, Rascals went from watering hole to refuge, as hundreds gathered for a vigil in the aftermath of the massacre at a male lover nightclub in Orlando.
That feeling of refuge has been a calling card for Rascals for 24 years.
Tanya Harper, who's been going there at least once a week for more than a decade, met McKenney there, and now the two are best friends. He was in Harper's wedding.
Whether it's the June 11 mass shooting in Orlando or the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage, "or any other major event in my life," Harper said, "the first place you think of coming is here, to be with your family and frie
The Crossroads was opened in Appleton in 2000 by two lesbian lovers, Lori Locy (or Loey?) and Karen Davis. The lock was fairly large in size: one very huge room, with a prolonged bar along most of the east wall, and plenty of space for a wide section of video games and tables, and a large-screen TV for Packer and other games. It was relatively popular, especially in queer woman circles, and also had a good patronage by some straight people.
With Rascals bar also on Wisconsin Avenue, some customers jumped back and forth.
When Appleton passed a smoking forbid in bars, business began to decline- and while other businesses quickly recovered, Crossroads struggled. The exclude was closed for several weeks in July-August 2006 and rumors where that a sale was in the offing; but the bar reopened around August 21, 2006. However, sometime in the spring of 2007 the bar closed for good.
The building was torn down in mid-2007, and replaced with an Advance Auto Parts store.
'Born out of bars': Clubs and bars vital to northeastern Wisconsin LGBTQ collective for almost 50 years now
GREEN BAY - Stacy DeSotel and Butch Pendergast decided to mark Aaron Rodgers Day, Dec. 12, 2012, by buying a piece of Green Bay, and Wisconsin, history.
On that afternoon, almost eight years ago, the married couple bought Napalese Lounge and Grille on Cedar Street, Wisconsin's second-oldest LGBTQ bar. Pendergast wasn't sure about buying a bar at the time but is now glad DeSotel convinced him.
"Despite my reservations at the time, I wouldn't change it for anything now," Pendergast said. "Nap's has been a staple in the people for 38 years. I love it."
Places like Napalese Lounge and Grille and its predecessors, both locally and nationally, were instrumental in helping the LGBTQ community find its voice in its 50-plus year fight for matching rights.
The Stonewall riots in New York City energized the gay rights movement in 1969, and as LGBTQ people searched for shared experiences and safe spaces, they found them at bars and clubs that openly welcomed them.
Starting in the 1970s, a handful of bars and clubs in Green Bay, Appleton, Sheboygan and Oshkosh openly welcomed LGBTQ
1101 West was for many years Appleton's most popular gay/ lesbian bar, and for a age its only prevent. But you could never tell from its activities: they always acted as though they had healthy competition, keeping patrons coming advocate with a continual flow of specials, parties, shows, guests, etc.
1101 West was both a famous dance bar, and also hosted many shows. Among many other shows, they hosted annual Mr. and Miss 1101 West shows, and the first two Wisconsin King of Kings and Queen of Queens pageants.
Owners Andy Lehman and Ed Smith were very popular and friendly to both residents and visitors from out of town. Living above the bar, they also occasionally hosted visitors who wanted to stay the night to acquire better acquainted.
After about 7 years in business, competition from the recently opened Pivot Club took its toll, and 1101 West closed.
The history of LGBT bars in Northeastern Wisconsin was the subject of an excellent article in the Green Bay Press Gazette in 2020.
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