The history of our gay bar scene is slipping into obscurity. Other than a handful of world-famous examples, many of the bars we loved and lost are being forgotten. In this installment we take a look at a bar that had a huge impact on the Chicago scene in the 70s.
DUGAN’S BISTRO
420 N. DEARBORN • CHICAGO, IL For exactly nine years Dugan’s Bistro reigned supreme as the bellwether of Chicago’s gay club scene. Owner Eddie Dugan had created a veritable nightlife sensation. Unlike most gay venues of its day, the Bistro was lauded by the press - gay and mainstream alike. Same gender dancing had recently been decriminalized in Chicago and Dugan seized the opportunity to open his decadent bar directly across from the police station.
Rumored to host such celebrities as Bette Midler, Andy Warhol, Bruce Vilanch, and Diana Ross, the Bistro was widely recognized as a ‘mustsee attraction’ for visitors to the Windy City. The Chicago Tribune stated “There was a large main floor bar and a raised dance floor. Special effects included a fog machine and a snow machine behind mirrored walls, four ceiling mounted Nerf cannons, and a state-ofthe-art sound and light system.” Topping the list of the Bistro’s flamboyant entertainers was the ‘Bearded Lady’ whose name was emblazoned above the entrance. His ostentatious outfits and even more scandalous performances made him a local celebrity. In 1977 he even made it to the pages of TIME magazine. The Windy City Times compared it to Studio 54. For nearly a decade, the Bistro was the maraschino cherry atop the Chicago entertainment buffet. On May 31, 1982 the Bistro succumbed to the neighborhood’s ‘gentrification’ and the bar closed, leaving in its wake a multitude of fond memories. From 1987-1992 its spirit was resurrected at Bistro II on Clark Street. Sadly, that bar is now gone as well. It is unlikely that there will ever be another bar like Dugan’s Bistro. Images Provided: RattlingGoodYarns.com Info: Owen Keehnen, Rick Karlin & Sukie de la Croix