September 6, 2006
BeBar Opens After Conflict With Church
Written by DCist contributor Christopher Durocher
BeBar, the newest gay bar in D.C., opened its doors to the public last week. Though there may be nothing remarkable about another gay bar in the city (especially for the heterosexual set), Be Bar’s story is part of a larger story of ongoing gentrification in the city and the conflict it’s creating in a number of neighborhoods.
For over six months, BeBar’s owners have faced vocal opposition from members of a church community in Shaw, where the bar is located. The struggle may represent the growing tension between new residents and entrepreneurs on one side, who see opportunity and progress in relocating and opening new businesses in revitalized neighborhoods, and longtime residents and community members on the other, who feel a powerful force pushing them out or leaving them behind. Then again, maybe its just a feud between a gay friendly business and a church whose pastor openly opposes homosexuality and worries that a gay bar will have a deleterious effect on the moral fiber of the community.
At the center of the story are BeBar owners Michael Watson and Tom McGuire and the pastor of Scripture Cathedral Baptist Church, Bishop C.L. Long, and his congregation. Watson and McGuire wanted to open a gay friendly bar. Long and his congregation saw the bar as a threat to the character of their neighborhood and fought its efforts to obtain a liquor license. It’s disputed whether the church and its allies opposed BeBar out of a desire to prevent the opening of any new bar in the neighborhood or, more nefariously, a desire to prevent the opening of a bar that welcomes everyone, but, with its candy-themed martinis and gay friendly atmosphere, caters to men looking for a possible love connection with other male patrons.
The rhetoric that BeBar’s opponents have used suggests that they are no friends to “Friends of Dorothy.” In discussing the possibility of a gay bar in Shaw, Long was quoted by the Washington Blade saying, "They are doing it simply because they feel that they can do it and that they can go anywhere. And we say no, you cannot go anywhere in this city." We'll leave it to readers to parse the subtle meaning of his comment.
In March, Long and members of his congregation called for the Shaw Advisory Neighborhood Commission, ANC 2C, to oppose BeBar’s application for a liquor license. During a March 8, 2006 meeting at which Watson and McGuire were not present, the ANC 2C voted 3 to 1 to file a protest with the D.C. Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA), the agency that issues liquor licenses. Subsequently, members of Scripture Cathedral and the D.C. Black Church Initiative, represented by Rev. Anthony Evans, filed letters of protest. In his letter, Evans stated that the gay bar would “undermine the moral character of the community.”
On August 16, 2006, the D.C. Alcohol Beverage Control Board (ABCB) rejected the protests and ruled in favor of BeBar (.pdf document). The board noted that ANC 2C failed to provide the owners of BeBar sufficient notice of the March 8, 2006 meeting. According to the ABCB, ANC 2C’s failure to provide notice denied the owners of BeBar the opportunity to address the concerns of neighborhood prior to the protest vote. The ABCB wouldn’t even consider ANC 2C’s protest because the process by which the protest was adopted was rigged against BeBar.
The board also noted that out of the eight individuals from Scripture Cathedral protesting the application, six did not actually live in the neighborhood, but rather lived over three miles away. Since the protestors did “not reside in the immediate neighborhood of the establishment,” the ABCB ruled that they did not have standing to protest the application. The ABCB rejected their protest because it recognized that the people most vocal about the threat posed to the character of the neighborhood did not even live in the neighborhood.
BeBar prevailed, but other Shaw businesses have been less fortunate. In the past year, Shaw eateries Vegetate and Queen Sheba faced strong opposition to their liquor license applications, largely from members of Shiloh Baptist Church. Like Scripture Cathedral, Shiloh is located in Shaw, but many of its congregants live outside the neighborhood and even outside the city. The ABCB has denied liquor licenses to both restaurants. With so many D.C. neighborhoods changing, it seems the ABCB, among others, is having a hard time figuring out just who these neighborhoods belong to.
So, was the donnybrook over BeBar’s liquor license worth the trouble? You can check it out for yourself. BeBar is located at 1318 9th St., NW, between N and O streets.
Picture of a shuttered BeBar before its opening snapped by sbma44
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Does anyone know if this place is going to be non-smoking from the get-go? Please let it be so....
It's hard to believe that a pastor that drives a Bentley (in addition to his other luxury rides) could be taken seriously in any matter, much less a local neighborhood bar license.
The church's position was hateful, racist, and a variety of other things. But more than anything it was pathetic.
They have never protested a liquor license for the countless liquor stores that have contributed greatly to the slum-like conditions the area suffered through for decades. Yet now they get up the gumption to protest a bar that serves candy-themed martinis? Methinks their priorities are suspect at best.
It's a shame, though, that their hate ruined two other businesses, which by nearly all accounts would have been welcomed by the actual residents. You know, the folks that actually live in DC and pay DC taxes, unlike these sham church groups.
Does anyone know if this place is going to be non-smoking from the get-go? Please let it be so....
Now who's politically correct? ;)
All Jokes,
HR
Am I the only one who thinks its oddly funny, even ironic perhaps, that BeBar is open in the former location of an Islamic study center of some sort?
It is non-smoking, or it was when I was there Saturday night.
Politically correct, nothing - I hate inhaling smoke.
Rich, if you're correct, I will be doing the gay-bar happy dance.
Well I hope it appeals to you more, Jason, than it did to me. Charging cover opening weekend and creating the fake queue outside just kind of ruined it for me right away. I'll go back on a weeknight when it's supposedly cover-free and hopefully will be able to enjoy it more.
Ah.
Covers suck. There's only one bar/club I've ever been to where I don't mind paying a cover -- Pyramid in NYC. DC is not NYC. No other bar is Pyramid. I'm already sad.
Did the cover at least include a free drink or 3?
What about the Ethiopian restaurant across the street from the church? Anybody know if or when they'll be getting a liquor license?
I was in there this weekend and the place was empty.
The cover was $5 and you got nothing for it. The rail drinks were $5 which wasn't so bad I guess. I do hope they have specials during the week, or it's going to be a lot more 2for1 at Halo.
What DC needs is a couple of really good, divey, loungey, sleazy bars. Someplace you can go on a scruffy day for some cheap drinks with coworkers, then ditch the coworkers in favor of tawdry sex with another scruffy dude.
If anyone out there wants to open a place like that, I'll come.
My favorite part is that it was a black man who said, "They are doing it simply because they feel that they can do it and that they can go anywhere. And we say no, you cannot go anywhere in this city."
That one's going into the irony bank for future reference....
I am glad to see this subject coming up again on the DCist. I recently ate at Vegetate and had the pleasure of receiving a tour form the owner (a friend of mine knows the guy). He lamented DC's antiquated drinking laws and the Shiloh's efforts to block the restaurant's liquor license. This situation is a real shame. Right off the bat, their adroit mixology demonstrated by their homemade ginger ale had me fantasizing about what they could do with fine spirits.
Once we left the restaurant, I noticed a liquor store, practically in spitting distance, selling single bottles of beer. It seems evident to me that this is (or has been!) a greater detriment to the Shaw neighborhood than a couple yuppies sucking on cosmos.
What about the DCEagle Jason? I think its the best gay bar in the city. The upstairs is more of a leather bar, but the downstairs always has a great mix of people. Their Sunday afternoon beer busts are the best deal in town. My only problem with it is that I wish there was a gay bar in this city that felt they didn't need to play bad queenie house. I gay bar with a good jukebox with good DJs.
If you are too scared of the Eagle, I'd suggest the Green Lantern. Weekend nights are the best. And again, it's a nice mix of people.
The best bet in all of the things is to stay as far away from 17th Street/Logan Circle as possible.
Well a definite yay for Be-Bar. I am glad they were able to open after all of the hassle and bigotry they faced.
Yay for Be-Bar.
Boo for the bartender who had to ask,
"Whats in a Sapphire Gimlet?"
I was there Saturday night, it is indeed smoke free. After all of the drama surrounding its opening, I really wanted to love this place and spend tons of money there. It's convenient to both work and home, etc. I didn't love it.
They seem to have a rather extensive drink/martini menu that a couple of my friends enjoyed (for $10.00 a pop). However, it was lost on me as I'm a beer drinker.
I don't want to knock it. It's fine for what it is. The space is nice and the bartenders seem friendly. It's just not my scene. It's pretty much another Halo. I'm with DC 1974. I'd rather be at the Eagle, the Green Lantern, Remington's, or even Titan on Friday nights.
I suggest folks check it out and form their own opinions.
I checked it out Saturday nite, That lady running for City Counci was there, a nice looking crowd , GREAT LOOKING male and female crowd and a nice interior but in my opinion pretty much the same old thing. The music was uninspired run of the mill gay background dance. No inspired choices, no eclecticism. Like all DC clubs nothing HAPPENED you know? There wasn't that intangible sense of being in the right place at the right time. No Celebrities, no wild fashion choices, no divine madness. There concept of "providing what's missing in DC clubs" is still to be seen.
Hey Rich,
I'm not actually enamored of the Eagle - leather bars aren't really my style, plus whenever I've been there it's been so dark inside I almost tripped over the pool tables. I've actually never *been* to Green Lantern, which is probably my own fault, and I should check it out. Thanks for the tip.
Oh, I meant to say: "Hey, DC1974." It's early in the morning and I haven't even finished my first can of Diet Dr. Pepper, so my brain is officially not open for business.
So where in Chicago are you from, and do you remember Son of Svengoolie?
Don't blame churches for any opposition to ABC licenses. Blame the politicians. They are the ones who draft these prohibition type laws that allow basically anyone to protest an ABC license and jam up a business for months (sometimes years) from opening with a liquor license. It is totally out of control.
I have been following this story of Shaw since it all started last year. It is really a shame and sad at the same time. The city really makes it hard for small business owners to survive in this city. I can only imagine if the owners of Vegetate, Queen of Sheeba or Be Bar wanted to open up a Cosi, TGIF or Applebees if any of this would have happened.
The problem with the DC liquor laws are many, but one of the main problems is that anyone can protest anyone for basically any reason. In the case of Vegetate and Queen of Sheeba these same politicians and ABRA acted like they cared and needed to protect the school children of Seaton Elementary School and all of the kids in the city, but if you look around DC there are tons of bars, liquor stores, restaurants, night clubs, grocery stores that all have ABC licenses in close proximity to schools (I would love to see a master list). If no one protests then the city and ABRA don't care at all. But if there is a protest the politicians and ABRA act like it is a national emergency. ABRA sends out "investigators" to do measurements and draft reports, etc. The most ridiculous thing is that if Queen of Sheeba and Vegetate wanted to open as a liquor store they could because of the "grandfather" clause in the law that states if there is another ABC license within 400 ft of a school you can open with no problem as long as you open as the same class of license. But because they are only liquor stores in that area and no restaurant class licenses Queen of Sheeba and Vegetate are shut out. Are you kidding me?
These churches are just ignorant and misguided. They can't help it because they feel like they are on a mission from god to battle and struggle with the "gentrifiers". And the DC politicians (Evans, Graham, etc.) don't have the balls to stand up to them, although the majority of the parishioners can't vote for them because they are not DC RESIDENTS! None of these laws are ever going to change until the residents of the city demand change. The best way to do that is to stop voting for these people and demand that some of these prohibition type laws are taken off the books.
I am glad Be Bar was able to prevail, maybe now these churches will back off and let the neighborhood progess.
"My only problem with it is that I wish there was a gay bar in this city that felt they didn't need to play bad queenie house. I gay bar with a good jukebox with good DJs"
Have any of you guys tried Blowoff at the 9:30 Club once a month. It's right up your alley.
I must be out of touch, this is the first I've heard of this place.
I can only imagine if the owners of Vegetate, Queen of Sheeba or Be Bar wanted to open up a Cosi, TGIF or Applebees if any of this would have happened.
Sorry but Applebees is just too gay-friendly for the churches. Those Bubblegum Mugaritas are fabulous! Maybe if they offered a prayer breakfast buffet or a gospel brunch?
"These churches are just ignorant and misguided. They can't help it because they feel like they are on a mission from god to battle and struggle with the "gentrifiers"."
That sounds like every apologetic I've ever heard for racists and their behavior. Just replace the code word "gentrifier" and replace it with "integrationist" and that sentence could be written in 1965.
"Gentrifier" is a code word for white person. It is informed in racism and, in this case, homophobia. Let's not become apologists for racists and homophobes by considering them simply ignorant and misguided. They know what they're doing, and they know why they are doing it, regardless of how poorly served our alcohol control laws are written.
Went again tonite, looked like a background scene from "Queer as Folk"/ Yawn. Good looking boys. The Cobalt crowd, transplanted into the new trendy hot spot. Canned gay music again. nothing memorable.
yes robis, "'gentrifier' is code for white person" in much the same way that "churches" is code for "black people" in this case. if you're going to demystify all these race, class, and homophobia issues for the rest of us, go all the way with it.
Um, Morgan, "churches" here is, in fact, being used as a code word for, um, "churches."
These are not black people as a whole; these are not black people in the city as a whole. These are specific churches and individuals who represent the churches that have taken a blatantly homophobic stand. No one has suggested that this opinion is representative of all blacks, or even all blacks that live in the city (hell, most of these people complaining don't even live in DC).
Or are YOU trying to say that all black people have problems with homosexuality? I'm not really following your logic, sorry.
Or are YOU trying to say that all black people have problems with homosexuality?
I wouldn't say all, but it's an unfortunate fact of life that blatant homophobia does tend to be more acceptable among Black people. When you look at who is fighting against gay marriage and equal rights for the GBLT community it tends to be traditional right wing nut jobs (Focus on the Family, Ralph Reed, and their ideological fellow travelers) and ministers of large African-American congregations.
Lots of GOP types talk about what a liberal Jesse Jackson is, but look at what ol' JJ has to say on gay marriage: "In my culture, marriage is a man-woman relationship." What a phony bastard Jackson is.
Like Bill Cosby, Jesse Jackson is a man of the people, but he is also a man. Isn't this the same Jesse Jackson who kept some nominal residence in DC just so he could claim residency and be elected Shadow Senator? Well, he probably had to sell the place anyway to pay his love-child support
Phony bastard indeed.
Well, at any rate, in a few years these churches will have sold their buildings to some condo developers and taken the profits back to PG, and then maybe someone can open a cool new homo bar or two and everyone will be happy.
There is most definitely a racial element at work here. But previous posters are correct - many blacks in the neighborhood have come out in favor of the restaurants and Be Bar.
But for the members of these particular churches, race is certainly an issue. As is hate.
Vegetate sucks. Text me when they stop ramming sparkling water down your throat.
Wait, should I wake you or text you?
OMG! You are sooo clever! You... you... saw my name in this one place... then you saw it again! And you saw that it was the same! So you put the two together, and were able to write something!
Ass-tounding!
Hey hotsauce,
So there was this NPR thing I heard last night, and this guy was talking about the Mall of America. But first he started talking about hot sauce. You should go to their site and listen to it if you haven't already (well, the part about the hot sauce. The rest was sort of whatever.)
GO CHECK OUT TITAN'S RAMROD ON 14th street
John-
Is that anywhere near RHOS?