FeBe
Lost San Francisco
The former Febe's Bar has been torn down. [Source 1] This was among the first gay bars in the city from the 1960s to the 1980s. They had a fire around 1980 and the building was remodeled and updated. Empress Jose christened the new bar with a bottle of champagne at dawn on opening day. Numerous motorcycle clubs had their meetings at this venue and upstairs, the legendary Nicodemus had his jail cell and leather shop called "A Taste of Leather." The statue of David wearing a leather jacket and jeans is a rare collector's item today.
San Francisco: Another major queer historic site meets the wrecking ball. The building at 1501 Folsom St. at the corner of 11th Street that that formerly housed Febe’s has been gutted to the bare walls; even the roof is gone.
Open from 1966 to 1986, Febe's was the first leather bar on Folsom Street during the era when South of Market was a major enclave of gay leather and SM bars, sex clubs and public cruising. Artist Mike Caffee created his celebrated "Febe's Man" sculpture of Michelangelo's David wearing full leathers especially for exhibition in a niche at the bar.
From 1986 to 2010, the building was home to Paradise Lounge, a non-LGBT (but LGBT-friendly) music and nightlife venue that preserved most of the interior structure of Febe's, including the display of "Febe's Man." Paradise Lounge featured a number of queer performers over the years, including the late singer and drag star Arturo Galster (Arturo Galster Memorial Page); transgender jazz chanteuse Veronica Klaus (Veronica Klaus - Song Stylist); and poet and spoken-word artist Justin Chin (1969–2015).
Sources
External links
Chat rooms • What links here • Copyright info • Contact information • Category:Root