Gay bars financial district san francisco

The last bar manager at Aunt Charlie’s, the last gay bar in the Tenderloin

Help grow our newsroomjoining the hundreds of San Franciscans who support us by giving below. But inside the bar, the drinks are strong, the lights are glowing and warm, and the ceiling is hung with a dozen iterations of pride flags. Mattheisen greets almost everyone who comes in, and decorates for every holiday, but the pride flags are a permanent fixture.

And it is beginning to feel its bar. Phoenix was too hot, and the gay bar scene too small, so he moved to San Francisco. Before that, he served two years and eight months in Vietnam. On Fridays and Saturdays at 10 p. Their district is the longest running drag show in San Francisco, and star Davida Ashton has been performing in San Francisco for even longer: 53 years.

She performs to sentimental francisco in sequined dresses and rows of diamonds, reaching out to her audience of about 20 with a gentle knee squeeze before graciously accepting outstretched bills. Rules for the audience are still strict — no obstructing the path of a queen, tip well, take a specific route to the bathroom — but the performances today can be irreverent and gay.

On a Friday night, queen and cocktail waitress Hart escorted guests to their seats in a bright red gown, a bedazzled red heart financial on her chest. She dropped the wig on the crown of an audience member, arms outstretched as her adoring fans stuffed dollar bills into her bosom. But shuttered venues, decreased foot traffic and a slow flow of shows at nearby theaters have hurt business, he said.

The community keeps her coming back every weekend, as do the cheap drinks and the atmosphere. Jessica is san multimedia journalist based in San Francisco. She enjoys reading, reviewing books, teaching writing, hiking and rock climbing. Residents there are exiting incarceration, but still under the control of the carceral system.

Your email address will not be published. Email address. Enter your password. Sign in by entering the code we sent toor clicking the magic link in the email. Donate today! Jessica Blough jessica missionlocal. Join the Conversation 2 Comments. Leave a comment Please keep your comments short and civil. Do not leave multiple comments under multiple names on one article.

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