Local Lounge
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Local Lounge was a
gay bar A gay bar is a Bar (establishment), drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+) clientele; the term ''gay'' is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBTQ+ communi ...
in
Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...
, operating from 2010 to 2021.


Description

Local Lounge was a bar on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in
northeast Portland Northeast Portland is one of the six major divisions of Portland, Oregon. Northeast Portland contains a diverse collection of neighborhoods. For example, while Irvington and the Alameda Ridge feature some of the oldest and most expensive homes i ...
's
King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
neighborhood. The ''
Portland Mercury ''Portland Mercury'' is an alternative bi-weekly newspaper and media company founded in 2000 in Portland, Oregon. It has a sibling publication in Seattle, Washington, called '' The Stranger''. History A prior version of ''The Mercury'' was ...
'' described the space as a "neighborhood bar with a calendar full of drag revues, variety shows, karaoke nights, and dance parties" and an "unpretentious atmosphere". The venue showcased LGBT artwork and hosted brunch, as well as
pop-up restaurant A pop-up restaurant is a temporary restaurant. These restaurants often operate from a private home, former factory, existing restaurants or similar space, and during festivals. Various other names have been used to describe the concept of settin ...
s.Andrew Jankowski, ''
Portland Mercury ''Portland Mercury'' is an alternative bi-weekly newspaper and media company founded in 2000 in Portland, Oregon. It has a sibling publication in Seattle, Washington, called '' The Stranger''. History A prior version of ''The Mercury'' was ...
'': * *
In 2016, ''
Willamette Week ''Willamette Week'' (''WW'') is an alternative weekly newspaper and a website published in Portland, Oregon, United States, since 1974. It features reports on local news, politics, sports, business, and culture. History Early history '' ...
'' AP Kryza wrote, "Were it not for the rainbow flag on the exterior, there would be no way of knowing the awesome that lurks inside Local Lounge. Hell, there's little to distinguish it from the liquor store and the Subway with which it shares a building directly across from Purringtons Cat Lounge. But inside, well, there's no mistaking that you're in a bar that veers less toward 'gay friendly' and more toward 'straight-friendly gay bar. Kryza also said, "... on less raucous days, Local Lounge lives up to its name. It's a surprisingly unassuming hang, a wood-laden den that could easily double as a suburban coffee shop or wine bar. It's a North Carolinian legislator's nightmare…a place that's so friendly and laid back that even the nongender-assigned bathrooms are inviting." In 2019,
Byron Beck Byron Beck (born January 25, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6 foot 9 inch forward/ center from the University of Denver, Beck was one of six players (along with Louie Dampier, Gerald Govan, Bob Netolicky, St ...
and Conner Reed of ''
Eater Portland ''Eater'' is a food website by Vox Media. It was co-founded by Lockhart Steele and Ben Leventhal in 2005, and originally focused on dining and nightlife in New York City. Eater launched a national site in 2009, and covered nearly 20 cities by 2 ...
'' said the bar "prides itself on its all-inclusive atmosphere and offers live music, art shows, a tiny outdoor seating area, nddrag performances". Local Lounge had pool, televisions, and video poker. Some drinks on the menu were named after celebrities; the
Neil Patrick Harris Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received List of awards and nominations ...
had cucumber vodka, lime, soda, and Chambord, and the Manhattan was named after
Rachel Maddow Rachel Anne Maddow ( ; born April 1, 1973) is an American television news program host and liberal political commentator. She hosts '' The Rachel Maddow Show'', a weekly television show on MSNBC, and serves as the cable network's special event ...
. Food options included chicken flautas and mozzarella sticks as appetizers, as well as
macaroni and cheese Macaroni and cheese (colloquially known as mac and cheese and known as macaroni cheese in the United Kingdom) is a pasta dish of macaroni covered in cheese sauce, most commonly cheddar sauce. Its origins trace back to cheese and pasta casserol ...
. 'The LGBT' is a
BLT A BLT is a type of sandwich, named for the initials of its primary ingredients, bacon, lettuce, and tomato. It can be made with varying recipes according to personal preference. Simple variants include using different types of lettuce or tomato ...
with guacamole.


History

Randy Faber owned the bar, which was established in 2010. Local Lounge hosted dance parties and karaoke regularly. Weekly events included karaoke on Fridays and "goth dance nights" on Mondays, as of 2016. ''Willamette Week'' described the biweekly event Femmes as a "music history lesson-meets-drag show dedicated to trailblazing femme musicians". Monthly events included Oregon Bears meetings (called Bear Paw Bust) every third Saturday and Tea Dances every first Sunday. In 2018, Local Lounge hosted 'Zaddy: A Genderfluid Pride Day Party', catering to
genderfluid Gender fluidity (commonly referred to as genderfluid) is a non-fixed gender identity that shifts over time or depending on the situation. These fluctuations can occur at the level of gender identity or gender expression. A genderfluid person m ...
and
queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are non-heterosexual or non- cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against LGBTQ people in the late 19th century. From the late 1980s, queer activists began to ...
people, especially those of color, as well as an election watch party with performances called 'Shitshow!'. In 2019, the bar hosted 'Queer Syllabus: A Celebration with Foglifter and The Rumpus' with
Melissa Febos Melissa Febos is an American writer and professor. She is the author of the memoirs ''Whip Smart'' (2010) and ''The Dry Season'' (2025) and the essay collections ''Abandon Me'' (2017), ''Girlhood'' (2021), and ''Body Work'' (2022). Early life and ...
and
T Kira Madden T Kira Madden is an American writer. She is the author of a memoir, ''Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls'', and the Founding Editor-in-Chief of '' No Tokens Journal''. In 2021, she received Lambda Literary's Judith A. Markowitz Award for Ex ...
as part of the
Association of Writers & Writing Programs The Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) is a nonprofit literary organization that provides support, advocacy, resources, and community to nearly 50,000 writers, 500 college and university creative writing programs, and 125 writers' c ...
' annual conference. The bar closed in November 2021.
Brooke Jackson-Glidden Brooke Jackson-Glidden is a food writer and the editor of '' Eater Portland''. In 2023, she received the Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award from the James Beard Foundation in part for her essay about Either/Or. Jackson-Glidden has been the editor o ...
of ''Eater Portland'' wrote, "It appears that the COVID-19 pandemic and mounting conflicts between the owner of the bar and its staff are the impetus for the bar's shuttering." The gay bar
Back 2 Earth Back 2 Earth is an LGBTQ-friendly bar in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. Owner Dan Henderson opened the bar in northeast Portland's King neighborhood in June 2023, in the space that previously housed Local Lounge. Back 2 Earth hosts a var ...
opened in the space in 2023.


Reception

''Willamette Week'' 2019 list of the "Top Five Places to Drink in Portland During Pride Week" said, "Local Lounge might be Portland's most unassuming gay bar, with only a rainbow flag to distinguish it from the liquor store and Jamaican restaurant with which it shares a building, but it's also home to some of the more unique LGBTQ entertainment in town." In their overview of the city's "wildest gay bars and hangouts", Beck and Reed described the macaroni and cheese as "to die for".


See also

*
COVID-19 pandemic in Portland, Oregon The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon on February 28, 2020. Background The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respirato ...
*
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the LGBT community The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted inequities experienced by marginalized populations, and has had a significant impact on the LGBT community. Pride events were cancelled or postponed worldwide. More than 220 gay pride celebrations around the ...


References


External links

* {{LGBTQ culture in Portland, Oregon 2010 establishments in Oregon 2021 disestablishments in Oregon Defunct LGBTQ drinking establishments in Portland, Oregon Defunct restaurants in King, Portland, Oregon Restaurants disestablished due to the COVID-19 pandemic Restaurants disestablished in 2021 Restaurants established in 2010