Boiler Room & The Need For Gay Dive Bars
About a week ago, I helped break the news that the Boiler Room, the beloved gay dive bar at 86 East 4th Street off 2nd Avenue in the East Village would be closing down at that address, after a whopping 34 years of being open at that location. The outpouring of responses—thousands of reposts lamenting the bar’s closure as well as the sharing of hundreds of personal stories and memories from time spent at the bar by the LGBTQ community, was to be honest, a thing of beauty. First and foremost, it cemented for me the idea that the queer community still needs physical safe spaces in which to gather, and that these spaces are still deeply cherished by each and every one of us. More specifically, it got me thinking at greater length about the role of the gay dive bar in particular, and the integral—albeit unglamorous—function it plays in our lives, often serving as the unsung hero of queer gathering places.
Wikipedia defines the “dive bar” thus: “A dive bar is typically a small, unglamorous, eclectic, old-style drinking establishment with inexpensive drinks; it may feature dim lighting, shabby or dated decor, neon beer signs, packaged beer sales, cash-only service, and local clientele.” According to Todd Dayton, author of San Francisco’s Best Dive Bars: “Dives are like pornography: hard to define but you know it when you see it…For me, the ideal dive bar is run by a beefy guy named Frank, where the aroma of yesterday's beer still hangs in the air, and your quest for clean bathrooms (or toilet paper, for that matter) will go eternally unanswered.”
As many people pointed out in their comments, Boiler Room certainly fit the definition of dive bar to a T: Kelly Gorman (loveyoumeanitxoxo) wrote: “The last time I went to Boiler, they didn’t even have a sink in the bathroom; just some old pipes sticking out. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore! 😔.” Brett Owen (itgetsbretter) also mentioned the bar’s bathroom: “Aw I’ll never forget the time I went into the bathroom and the sink was on the floor.” In fact, Boiler Room’s bathroom came up quite a lot in comments, though Christopher Angelotti (misterangelotti) at least added a silver lining: “Come for the hot dogs, stay for the clogged toilets! Truly though, spent my formative years as a gay man here. #memories.”
The shocking news of Boiler Room’s impending closure came to my attention when several friends shared a Facebook repost by Michael Musto with me. Musto helped bring to the surface David Handler’s original June 14th Facebook post: "Hey friends, so after 3 years of being in court, the Boiler Room has lost the battle & will be closing its door soon. We are in the process of securing a new & improved venue, but the place that has been host to so many memories over 34 years will be gone. This will be the last Pride at this incarnation of the Boiler Room. If anyone lives in the East Village, we are collecting signatures to help us with a new liquor license."
The Boiler Room, which 1st opened on 4th Street in 1989, has been an iconic East Village staple for over 3 decades in NYC's vast gay landscape, offering just the bare bones basics, including a jukebox, pool table, & super cheap drink specials as well as an old-school, no-windows aesthetic.
NYMag called the Boiler Room a "friendly, unobtrusive, post-gay gay bar that helped put the queer East Village bar scene on the map" while Naveen Kumer for them Magazine dubbed it "Manhattan’s Friendliest Gay Bar" in a column called Good Weird Queer Bar.
In truth, Boiler Room has always been a special, no frills meetup spot because of everything that it didn't offer. Perpetually dark inside with haphazard, decaying decor, Boiler Room never felt like a place of pretense, & many LGBTQ folk consistently cite it as one of the most chill, welcoming, & congenial queer meetup places in the city.
Michael F., a frequent patron stated: "One of the absolute best old-school-feeling East Village gay bars! The name does not lie though: in the summer it feels like you're in a gay sauna from the good old days...another throwback to pre-AC days: it's cash only, be aware." Narada J. wrote: "Boiler Room officially earned my dollars. Was able to be serviced by a few of the great veteran tenders. They were consistent, professional & kind during a busy night." Denise D. put it best: “One of my favorite bars in Manhattan. Everyone is super chill, I call it the 'cheers' of gay bars."
In response to the news, hundreds of people recanted their own personal stories and memories from Boiler Room, often citing the key role it has played in their lives. Here’s just some of the highlights:
Chris Covell (clcisme): “So so sad. This is where I met my husband. This and the The Bar were my go to places. Will be sorely missed 😢”.
Dwaine Hill (dweezyhillz): “SO many memories and friends made in this place. If you didn’t know where to go, you could always go to Boiler Room. Shout out to Alec!!! We love ya babe! ❤️”.
Kari Ferrell (hotdoghandjobs): “No!!! That couch has seen me through some times!!!
Jeffery Povero (jesrypo): “The Boiler Room’s ritual of covering the pool table reminded us it was time to head to Avenue A Sushi for sustenance before returning for the evening’s debauchery 😢”.
Jude Liana (judeliana): “I was born and raised in this bar. Literally. I have baby photos in here. I’ll miss you Boiler.”
Be sure to read through many more personal stories shared here.
Many readers had questions as to what was going on that was forcing Boiler Room to close, what the story was behind that court battle, and also what could be done to simply help the bar stay afloat. Thankfully, Stacie Joy for EV Grieve got the updated scoop, which you can read in full here. In short, Boiler Room will likely close by the end of the year, with intent to relocate to 45 2nd Avenue. According to Boiler Room’s management, the building's landlord had engaged the bar in a multi-year court battle over pandemic-related back rent payment, and ultimately the judge ruled in favor of the landlord, without any negotiation for current and future rent. That being said, Boiler Room is poised to stay open at its original location until the new spot is ready, hopefully in early 2024.
So fingers crossed, Boiler Room will indeed carry on, but there is still something to be said—and something to be mourned—about the imminent demise of its original, gritty, historic location. As John Gordon (deaconoffunk) put it: “If those obliterated couches next to the bathroom could talk 🫣🤭”. Let’s just hope and pray that those couches do make it to the next Boiler Room, unchanged, never to be reupholstered.
Do gay dive bars exist outside of the States?