53 replies to this topic

[ramjet]

In an article today about the demise of urban gay meccas, New York Times highlights the sharp rise in the number of same sex couples in Fort Worth (and other unlikely cities).

http://www.nytimes.c.....46c0&ei=5087

Who knew? (So there's hope up there for a Crate and Barrel yet...)

[jefffwd]

In an article today about the demise of urban gay meccas, New York Times highlights the sharp rise in the number of same sex couples in Fort Worth (and other unlikely cities).

http://www.nytimes.c.....46c0&ei=5087

Who knew? (So there's hope up there for a Crate and Barrel yet...)

Yes, and Z Gallerie!

[safly]

Z Gallerie and RUEHL!

[vjackson]

Don't forget Restoration Hardware!! The gay guys love it. Also, maybe the same thing will happen with one of the Mi Cocinas in FW that has happened to the West Village location in Dallas. Every Friday night, it turns into a total gay bar. The DTFW location would be fabulous!!

[Sam Stone]

Haha, I was just about to mention Restoration Hardware. Don't you think it's funny that the rest of us (who, presumably, are not gay) are clamoring for these stores?

[mikedsjr]

Haha, I was just about to mention Restoration Hardware. Don't you think it's funny that the rest of us (who, presumably, are not gay) are clamoring for these stores?

Am I supposed to clamor for those stores?

[ramjet]

More importantly, the mention in the NYT story hopefully counters some of the negative attention Fort Worth has gotten recently (particularly in the blogger world) as an intolerant, bigoted backwater – thanks to your esteemed City Councilperson Silcox.

[safly]

Would have been a welcoming form of journalistic justice if they did quote his blundering remarks.

[vjackson]

Would have been a welcoming form of journalistic justice if they did quote his blundering remarks.

Just shows how FW is slighted by the media. If a councilman from Dallas, Houston, L.A., etc had said what Silcox did it probably would have made some national news broadcasts. As I'm sure those cities' gay communities would have been up in arms. IF FW's gay population is growing, maybe they'll eventually get a voice. What Silcox did was tacky, insulting, and just unprofessional. And he calls himself a politician!!

[PLS]

tacky, insulting, and just unprofessional. And he calls himself a politician!!

sounds like a fair description of many public representatives... i think a few might even be running for president.

[safly]

When will there will be a LOCAL writeup about FW's growing Gay and Gray population???

[Sam Stone]

I think there was a cover story on it in the FW Weekly a year or two ago. But I don't think I've ever seen anything in the S-T.

[ramjet]

Just shows how FW is slighted by the media. If a councilman from Dallas, Houston, L.A., etc had said what Silcox did it probably would have made some national news broadcasts.

I would say in this instance, the slight by the mainstream media was a good thing.

However, I have to respectfully disagree that Fort Worth is slighted by the media generally. Perhaps an uninformed TV reporter may refer to Fort Worth by another city’s name occasionally, but the idea that Fort Worth doesn’t get any media attention these days is a bit dated.

Particularly in the last couple of years, Fort Worth has received some extraordinary national media attention for its rapid population growth and the impact of the Barnett Shale gas fields on its development. And its museum scene has gotten both national and international attention in the arts media for years. Heck, even NBC did a Nightly News broadcast on the banks of the Trinity last June. How often do they stray out of New York unless they’re covering a crisis?

In fact, the story about Joel Burns as potentially the first openly gay elected official in Tarrant County has been covered widely by the gay press and was heralded as a positive for Fort Worth until Mr. Silcox came along…

[safly]

NBC NNews does that all over the map. Plus, I think they were droppin some BShale news into the mix that day and something else with a KXAS correspondent.

I know the local press has brought the Gay newsclips to the attention of FW'ians. But as a previous post says, the FWST has not touched it.

I was hoping they would channel the positives with this "trend" here in FW and inform the readership. It is newsworthy. Plus Silcox comments should not be left to a blind eye or deaf ear. Should have been THE HEADLINE last week. Perhaps CNN or MSNBC would eventually pick this up??? His actions hit on so many levels with FW, politics, family, equality and society.

On the ballot it shouldn't matter anyones sexual orientation.

[ramjet]

NBC NNews does that all over the map. Plus, I think they were droppin some BShale news into the mix that day and something else with a KXAS correspondent.

I know the local press has brought the Gay newsclips to the attention of FW'ians. But as a previous post says, the FWST has not touched it.

I was hoping they would channel the positives with this "trend" here in FW and inform the readership. It is newsworthy. Plus Silcox comments should not be left to a blind eye or deaf ear. Should have been THE HEADLINE last week. Perhaps CNN or MSNBC would eventually pick this up??? His actions hit on so many levels with FW, politics, family, equality and society.

On the ballot it shouldn't matter anyones sexual orientation.

I see your point on maximum exposure for Silcox's comments. They should not be swept under the rug. I suppose it's just how the story is presented. Some of the blog posts I've read have tarred the entire city of Fort Worth with Silcox's views. - which I know from my own experience is not true. Perhaps vjackson is right about a little more noise needed from the folks who were truly slighted...

[vjackson]

^^^
Silcox's comment was no different than if he commented on someone of mixed race "getting pass" the voters. As if their racial heritage should be an issue in a council race. A gay coworker mentioned the story ( that's how I heard about it) and he couldn't believe it got no real attention. And the fact that noone really had a problem with it just reeks of small town, "good ole boy" politics.

[Now in Denton]

I think there was a cover story on it in the FW Weekly a year or two ago. But I don't think I've ever seen anything in the S-T.

I remember that story also. In short it said that gays in Fort Worth like to live thier straight life during the week but go to Dallas to live thier gay life for a few hours or just for the weekend. Other gays in Fort Worth said they don't like Dallas and thier stuck up pose. They call Dallas gays as having a "Dallitude".

Goes to show the rivalry between Fort Worth and Dallas cuts in so many ways!

[vjackson]

. In short it said that gays in Fort Worth like to live thier straight life during the week but go to Dallas to live thier gay life for a few hours or just for the weekend.

I didnt' read the article, but I'm sure you got it twisted (as usual) somehow. If "gays" are living a straight life in FW and a gay one in Dallas...that's a whole other issue.

Granted I was younger at the time and most of the gay guys I worked with were pretty young too, but they loved coming to Dallas and always said they wished FW had a gay neighborhood. With the exception of the gay couple that lived next door, the gays I've kept up with all live in Dallas or Dallas area now. The main reason they visited Dallas was pretty obvious to me...that was were the men were. You ever seen the gay strip on (any really) a Friday night???

[safly]

Dallas is Gay Social Mecca in N.Texas. Pretty cool places with plenty of HOT BABES who LOVE the attention they get from "the Gay's". I have enjoyed partying the Oaklawn area for many of instances and they also appreciate a hetero such as myself giving them support and adding to the mix. Lots of fun and it is ultra safe and inexpensive too.

Yah, hole in the wall gay bars in FW (like the one near Jennings) are just filthy and borderline seedy looking.

VIVID was so close at making IT happen in DTFW, but owner mismanagement (from what I heard) and a too upfront in your face philosophy just KILLED it.

[Keller Pirate]

In reading the statistics on the number of gay couples in different cities across the country two things jumped out. How in the world do you come up with the number of gay couples in any given city for a period in between a census? They don't even ask in the census if you are gay, do they?

Also, the chart showed Ft Worth as the 4th fastest growing city in the US for gay couples and Dallas had actually declined in the number of gay couples. The gays in commited relationships must be heading west out of Dallas.

[vjackson]

In reading the statistics on the number of gay couples in different cities across the country two things jumped out. How in the world do you come up with the number of gay couples in any given city for a period in between a census? They don't even ask in the census if you are gay, do they?

Also, the chart showed Ft Worth as the 4th fastest growing city in the US for gay couples and Dallas had actually declined in the number of gay couples. The gays in commited relationships must be heading west out of Dallas.

You make a good point re: the census. Where does this info come from? I sent the Times article to my gay friends in FW, and although I'm sure they don't know every gay person in town, their reaction was "Were the ###$ are they?? We need some men in FW!!" According to them and their friends, most young gays are moving from FW (they told me to check a certain gay date site for listings in FW and see how few pages they were in comparison to other cities. I passed on that). They also said most of the gay bars and businesses in FW have closed and there are very few clientele under 35 (his partner says 40) in those (bars) that are still open. Last month, some friends and I accompanied these guys to the annual gay picnic in FW and I can attest to the fact that the "crowd" wasn't large and it certainly was majority older. I know not all gays go to bars, but they usually tend to meet and get to know each other. It seems to me the article is saying one thing, and my well connected gay friends in FW and their gay friends are saying something totally different.

[vjackson]

Dallas is Gay Social Mecca in N.Texas. Pretty cool places with plenty of HOT BABES who LOVE the attention they get from "the Gay's". I have enjoyed partying the Oaklawn area for many of instances and they also appreciate a hetero such as myself giving them support and adding to the mix. Lots of fun and it is ultra safe and inexpensive too.

Yah, hole in the wall gay bars in FW (like the one near Jennings) are just filthy and borderline seedy looking.

VIVID was so close at making IT happen in DTFW, but owner mismanagement (from what I heard) and a too upfront in your face philosophy just KILLED it.

I ended up at Vivid years ago and it was really cool. Oaklawn (the gay strip) is pretty fun with a group of friends and some of the best people watching in DFW. The Halloween Block Party is always a must!! You can drive through there at 2 PM on a nice weekend afternoon, and those bar and restaurant patios are hopping!! The gay bars I've seen in FW were kinda on the seedy side, but I will say Dallas has one of the nicest "gayborhoods" I've ever seen. Especially now since the seedier side (West of Cedar Springs) is being redeveloped like crazy. It ain't just for gay folk anymore.

[Sam Stone]

What I've seen is that usually these figures are extrapolated. I believe that the Census doesn't actually keep track of sexual orientation, but instead household composition. So these figures would really represent same sex households. This obviously leaves out single gay households. FW may indeed have very few of those. This would conform to both what the article says and what your friends say.

[vjackson]

^^^
Good point Sam. I remember reading once somewhere that it was more difficult to track gay males couples because of several factors. One being that gays "roommate" a lot . Meaning that gay friends or maybe two or more gays that may not know each other well at all, will often share a residence and are not "involved" at all. Also many gay men tend to be able to end a relationship and still cohabitate. I had a gay relative who lived with his ex partner for almost ten years before moving out to be with another partner. But they made it clear they were no longer a couple. This practice is not uncommon in gay culture from what I understand. So just because two gay men live together doesn't neccesarily make them a couple.

Just thought I would share some of my GAY KNOWLEDGE.

[dustin]

the city could actually stand to capitalize on this. I would really like to see a more concerted acknowledgment by developers, businesses, etc. The economic power of a gay population is hard to ignore. I know it is easy to stereotype, but if FW wants to change its image into a more cosmopolitan destination to fill in some of these highend residential developments, there needs to be a little more public recognition of the gay community than there is now. I urge all of the FW gay community to come out and declare yourselves to Fort Worth, so the grumpy old folks and social righteous can get over themselves. Then we can all hold hands and sing kumbayah while shopping at decent home furnishing stores.

[ramjet]

I dig your post, dustin. Two words these days that move "the gays" - REAL ESTATE. Not bars! That's so - let's say late '80's early '90's. Smart developers would take heed. And I'm more than one who just has "gay relatives" or "good friends with contacts", etc. (You folks crack me up.) "The gays" like the rest of the population, are getting older - and are assimilating and moving away from ghettos as noted in the NYT article that started this thread. Fort Worth is not lacking in affordable great housing stock - and getting more. The trend of moving to new urban frontiers noted in the article makes sense to me. Perhaps the perception by you "non-gays" needs to catch up with the reality.

By the way, the "strip", which I'm assuming means Cedar Springs between Oak Lawn and Wycliffe, is a mere shadow of its former self these days. You should have "hung out" there in the '80's when the likes of Gianni Versace and Madonna crawled the bars. It would be disappointing and distorted if your perspective of 21st century gay life is limited to those tacky two blocks of bars in Dallas way past their prime...

[safly]

O, we get it. You're a Gay Bar SNOB. We ain't sayin it's South Beach but it's pretty darn good for Texas.

[ramjet]

O, we get it. You're a Gay Bar SNOB. We ain't sayin it's South Beach but it's pretty darn good for Texas.

No. Doesn't matter South Beach, Dallas, New York, even Cowtown. Just making the point that bars aren't it for many gay folks these days. Hasn't always been that way. But times have changed. If it works for you - then power to ya'.

[Dcurtis]

^^^
I've seen the "past their prime bars" on Cedar Springs..packed all the time. There's even one on the "strip" now that caters to blacks and hispanics..that's packed. Lots of bars would love to be as "past their prime" as the gay strip. Are you one of those guys that used to be in the "bars" all the time when you were younger, but now that you've gotten older, turn your nose up at them?? Don't hate.

My gay cousin kinda echos what vjack's friends say, they haven't noticed a influx of gays to FW, they have noticed the absence of younger gays, as they move away..many to the east. But as my cousin also says FW's gay community has kind of become fragmented, so it would make sense that it's not as easy as it used to be to keep track of who's new in FW, as unlike Dallas, there's fewer gay organizations, and non-bar related hangouts for gays.

My hope for FW, would be that this supposed "influx" of gays would all moved to the East Side. Then the FW gays can do for the east side what Dallas gays did/are doing for Oak Cliff. Any honest Dallasite will tell you, gays are responsible for the explosion of development and redevelopment in that neighborhood. They were the true "urban" pioneers.

Oh and the gayborhood in Dallas ain't going nowhere. As long as those bars, clubs, bookstores, and shops are there, gays will continue to come from all over the metroplex to get there. Now living in the area is a different story. Like lots of other folks, many gays are also being priced out of that neighborhood. That whole area is under construction and older apt complexes and buildings are being demolished and redeveloped everywhere. What's planned for the old Tom Thumb site is way cool. My wife and I even looked at a place in that area, but decided on DTD.

I'll say it till I'm blue in the face...gays are good for urban development and FW should recognize.

[ramjet]

^^^
I've seen the "past their prime bars" on Cedar Springs..packed all the time.

While I disagree with your Cedar Springs bar census – my observation three weeks ago on a Saturday night was about a third full – I commend the frequent patronage and vocal support those bars receive from the “straights” on this thread. Those cocktails don’t buy themselves…!

[vjackson]

^^^
I've seen the "past their prime bars" on Cedar Springs..packed all the time.

While I disagree with your Cedar Springs bar census – my observation three weeks ago on a Saturday night was about a third full – I commend the frequent patronage and vocal support those bars receive from the “straights” on this thread. Those cocktails don’t buy themselves…!

A bunch of us from work popped into the area late Saturday for a coworker's (gay) b-day. It was the bar near Blacked-Eyed Pea and it was so packed it was uncomfortable. That latin/hip hop club was packed too, with a line out the door and it was a beautiful night and every patio looked packed. That area ain't hurtin'. Since the HipHop clubbed looked packed too , we ended up taking the party to Minc in Deep Ellum, which is a very "alternative" club..you don't know who's what.

And as far as Madonna and Versace cruising the strip...it was the 80's!! She's what, 50 now? Most of the younger kids in those clubs weren't even born yet, so I doubt if they care what the strip WAS like. They care about what it IS like, how much the drinks are, what kind of music they're playing, and how attractive the guys are...they ain't thinking about if Madonna is going to pop in with her two kids in tow. (Well maybe they do..gays really do love her.)

And don't hate on us straights for our support of the local gay strip. I think it's cool that Dallas has evolved enough that so many of us think nothing of hanging out there now. I used to work with a not-so-much older gay guy that remembers when straight guys would drive through there and throw bottles and rocks at gay patrons. We've come a long way baby.

[dustin]

Could it also be that there might be more of a general acceptance of the lifestyle now so that they don't HAVE to go to "gay" bars? I mean, surely we have gotten to a point here in FW where there are plenty of urban destinations where a gay couple can go out to dinner without being singled out and pointed at. Perhaps this is why the gay community is so hard to find, they are just part of the community, not necessarily separate. We do have excellent culture, excellent restaurants, an excellent downtown, excellent housing options, and excellent parks, so why wouldn't they be here?

[Now in Denton]

. In short it said that gays in Fort Worth like to live thier straight life during the week but go to Dallas to live thier gay life for a few hours or just for the weekend.

I didnt' read the article, but I'm sure you got it twisted (as usual) somehow. If "gays" are living a straight life in FW and a gay one in Dallas...that's a whole other issue.

As usual vjackson don't know jack about anything.

[vjackson]

. In short it said that gays in Fort Worth like to live thier straight life during the week but go to Dallas to live thier gay life for a few hours or just for the weekend.

I didnt' read the article, but I'm sure you got it twisted (as usual) somehow. If "gays" are living a straight life in FW and a gay one in Dallas...that's a whole other issue.

As usual vjackson don't know jack about anything.

If you don't see how moronic your statement is that gay guys live "straight" lives in FW and "gay" ones in Dallas than who doesn't know jack?? I can at least comprehend what I read. I would suggest you read more carefully before you attempt to paraphrase, thus your posts might not be so doggone laughable.

[ramjet]

...they ain't thinking about if Madonna is going to pop in with her two kids in tow.

Yes, thinking that would be futile as I suspect Madonna would shirk any bar near a Black Eyed Pea at any stage of her life.

And don't hate on us straights for our support of the local gay strip.

Reread, Mr. vj: commend is affirmative. No hatin’ goin’ on. Congrats on the evolution. You are obviously enjoying it...

[Dcurtis]

Could it also be that there might be more of a general acceptance of the lifestyle now so that they don't HAVE to go to "gay" bars? I mean, surely we have gotten to a point here in FW where there are plenty of urban destinations where a gay couple can go out to dinner without being singled out and pointed at. Perhaps this is why the gay community is so hard to find, they are just part of the community, not necessarily separate. We do have excellent culture, excellent restaurants, an excellent downtown, excellent housing options, and excellent parks, so why wouldn't they be here?

I'm sure you'll find gays at all those places. The article was referring to gay ghettos which gay bars and clubs have historically served as the centerpiece. And from what I've seen gay bars are usually have plenty of gays in them so they must still enjoy them. (How many bars and nightclubs do you know that have been open for almost 30 years?). But of course not all gays go to bars and gayborhoods are much more than that. They usually have restuarants, bookstores, offices for gay organizations, churches, and housing...everything most neighboorhoods have....just with more flair. And the CedarSprings strip is not the only cluster of gay nightlife in Dallas. There's a cluster of bars at Fitzghuh (?) and Central and another cluster at Maple and Knight.

Yes, thinking that would be futile as I suspect Madonna would shirk any bar near a Black Eyed Pea at any stage of her life.

That Black Eyed Pea was there when Madonna made here appearances on the strip in the oh-so- fabulous 80's.

[Dcurtis]

Reread, Mr. vj: commend is affirmative. No hatin’ goin’ on. Congrats on the evolution. You are obviously enjoying it...

Ramjet sounds bitter. I find it amusing how gays want acceptance and equal treatment by us heteros, but as soon as one of us has no problem hanging with them or have some knowlege of "gay culture" if there is such a thing, they attack you or belittle you for it....how typical. If you were female, you would probably be cool with him, but being a hetero male, you're questionable. But I guess that should be expected from someone who mind is still stuck in the 80's. Things have changed a lot since Madonna cruised Dallas' gay strip. How old were you (vj) then??

[vjackson]

Things have changed a lot since Madonna cruised Dallas' gay strip. How old were you (vj) then??

Ha...I was a mere child. I think the fact that I have no problem hangin with the gays probably has to do with having a gay uncle, a lesbian aunt, a close gay cousin, as well as a gay brother and a lesbian sister. As my mother would say, my father's side carries the "gay gene". Then throw in the fact that my favorite burger place in DFW, "Hunky's", just happens to be on the gay strip (I visit it at least once a week), and my girlfriend is in the fashion industry and recently purchased a new condo right on CedarSprings. I don't even consider myself that liberal...I just don't give a flip who you sleep with..if you're cool, you're cool. Go figure.

And in regards to Madonna and Black Eyed Pea: I was watching VH1 classic a few weeks ago and they showed that Lucky Star video. I know she's all health freaky know, but back in the day, the old girl looked as if she had no problem with a good ole' chicken fried steak.

[safly]

Or a tube st.... uhhhh nevermind.

VJ, I totally tought you were gay as the day is long.

So much for my virtual Gaydar 2.0.

[vjackson]

VJ, I totally tought you were gay as the day is long.

Why SAFLY, are you trying to ask me out??

[safly]

I was never good at being coy about those kinda things.

I think it was the "HERE'S A MAP I USE FOR ALL THE FASHION DISTRICTS SHOPS IN DALLAS!" kind of approach.
Something MY GIRLFRIEND and former roomates (GAY) would love to carry around in their purse.

[vjackson]

I was never good at being coy about those kinda things.

I think it was the "HERE'S A MAP I USE FOR ALL THE FASHION DISTRICTS SHOPS IN DALLAS!" kind of approach.
Something MY GIRLFRIEND and former roomates (GAY) would love to carry around in their purse.

LOL, LOL!!! You're nuts!!! I think I sent you a listing of the shops in the Dallas Design District. A list mind you, I found while doing a google search years ago while looking for ideas to decorate my FABULOUS loft. Come over to Dallas for a weekend and we can use that list and go antiquing. I've heard the district has a lovely little tea shop..we can do lunch. OMIGOD...let's wear ascots!!!

[wolfey]

why do gay people always want justification. When is there going to be a LOCAL story about gays. I mean WTF. What good would that do....really.

Let the old school homophobes get all riled up bc they finally realize there are mr and mr jones neighboring them. You wanna be gay, be gay. Have fun, do your deal, but dont push it off on the mass census with something to prove.

Are you trying to recruit others to gayism, or raise gay awareness for some city allocated gay park? What in the hell does Silcox have to do with you being gay?

Go move to Austin if you want to play that card. Go hang in deep ellum. FTW is a chill place, been here all my years, but make people drink the punch round here. If you are pentocostal, be it....assembly of god, be it...homo, be it.....

but EZ on the promos

thats my 2 cents worth, I am signing off. Now all of you can throw rotten vegetables at me as I leave the podium.

[safly]

And I thought my very first 3 posts were rants.

[ramjet]

When is there going to be a LOCAL story about gays. I mean WTF. What good would that do....really.

FTW is a chill place, been here all my years, but make people drink the punch round here. If you are pentocostal, be it....assembly of god, be it...homo, be it.....

Fellowship Church, be it...

I just had to...

The Star Telegram catches on:

http://www.star-tele...ory/312528.html

[safly]

FW FORUMER, be IT!



0 DOWN, 0% for 6 MONTHS, be IT!

NO credit, NO job, be IT!

No Hassle trade-ins, No finance fees , be IT!

se habla espanol!

[ramjet]

The Dallas Morning News reports the closure of a long time gay establishment on Cedar Springs and chronicles the decline of Dallas' Oak Lawn gay nabe. (FW gets a mention.)

http://www.dallasnew...ds.2b27686.html

The spirited support of gayborhoods by a couple of straight folks on this thread notwithstanding, the national trend away from gay ghettos was bound to hit Dallas as well...

My money says that most of the gay-themed businesses and those much vaunted bars on Cedar Springs, and even the Black Eyed Pea, will be gone within 3 years (or less) and construction will be well underway on Dallas' 1,500th Starbucks...

[jefffwd]

The Dallas Morning News reports the closure of a long time gay establishment on Cedar Springs and chronicles the decline of Dallas' Oak Lawn gay nabe. (FW gets a mention.)

http://www.dallasnew...ds.2b27686.html

The spirited support of gayborhoods by a couple of straight folks on this thread notwithstanding, the national trend away from gay ghettos was bound to hit Dallas as well...

My money says that most of the gay-themed businesses and those much vaunted bars on Cedar Springs, and even the Black Eyed Pea, will be gone within 3 years (or less) and construction will be well underway on Dallas' 1,500th Starbucks...

I hate to se that place go...

[Dcurtis]

The Dallas Morning News reports the closure of a long time gay establishment on Cedar Springs and chronicles the decline of Dallas' Oak Lawn gay nabe. (FW gets a mention.)

http://www.dallasnew...ds.2b27686.html

The spirited support of gayborhoods by a couple of straight folks on this thread notwithstanding, the national trend away from gay ghettos was bound to hit Dallas as well...

My money says that most of the gay-themed businesses and those much vaunted bars on Cedar Springs, and even the Black Eyed Pea, will be gone within 3 years (or less) and construction will be well underway on Dallas' 1,500th Starbucks...

How many independant bookstores are still around? The fact that Crossroads closed is more due to the national trend of independant bookstores loosing customers to major chains. Crossroads has lost customers to the Borders in West Village, which according to the Voice, caters to gay clientele. One visit inside and you can see the gay presence there. I've only been in Crossroads once, although it was very nice store, the merchandise was very overpriced. The same thing with Crossroads happened to the very popular Black Images bookstore in in OakCliff. Althought popular with Blacks and some white, like myself, it couldnt' compete with corporate stores. And if Black Eyed Pea closes it has more do with the fact that it sucks, not the the demise of the gay ghetto.

And what's so funny to me is that you as a gay man are so bitter that you seem to look forward to the demise of neighborhood that you patronized when you were younger. That would be like me being excited about the demise of Highway 80 in FW, where my friends and I used to cruise up and down that strip when I was teenager. I know the gays are youth obsessed, so is that the cause of this bitterness? I know the young twinks hanging there now missed out on seeng Madonna, Versace, Grace Jones and what ever other gay icon that partied there 30 years ago. Poor things, you have those fabulous memories of the gay 80's, and all they have is their YOUTH. Life is unfair that way. Luckily, we're not all bitter about it.

[vjackson]

I know the young twinks hanging there now missed out on seeng Madonna, Versace, Grace Jones and what ever other gay icon that partied there 30 years ago. Poor things, you have those fabulous memories of the gay 80's, and all they have is their YOUTH.

LOL!! I see you've picked up the fine art of "reading" from the strip. Did you snap you fingers after you typed that?
An article I read said the owner of that strip raised the bookstore's rent and they were hoping to attract a corporate bookstore to the site. It also mentioned the competition from the Borders in WV. Is that the demise of the gayborhood or just the corporate branding that is going on in most urban neighborboods across the country. As long as those bars are there and gays continue to live in the area, the gayborhood ain't going nowhere. If a Starbucks, Half-price books, or IHOP opens on that strip it will still be patronized by many a gay. No differant the those gay starbucks on Oaklawn and Lemmon, or the Uncle Julio's and La Madeline in that area...full of gays.

I think several of the stores on that strip sale too much of the same merchandise. I can't recall the shops but two that are gone almost sold identical stuff.
It is amusing that the bars on the strip are "tacky" now that r'jet is older. And yet they were the bomb when he was shakin his groove thing there. Reminds me of my dad sometimes telling us how just about everything was better when he was young and how we really missed out. Most twenty somethings would probably disagree about the area being a mere shadow of its former self...but what would they know. They weren't even born in 1985.
And Curtis, you shopped at Black Images Bookstore?? You better watch out, now Ramjet will question your ethnicity. You sure you're not a repressed Black Man??