A new gay bar is opening up in the former Gold Coast location.
The new establishment will be called Bar Or (French for gold) in a nod to its predecessor, which closed in September after 40 years.
According to Variety, the bar’s owners are former Fashion Police co-host George Kotsiopoulos, along with Circus of Books owner Rob Novinger and Fire Hot Yoga founder Stephanie Schestag.
“We don’t want gay bars to become obsolete,” Kotsiopoulos told the magazine. “We’re passionate about making sure we still have safe places for the community.”
Bar Or is at least six months away from opening.
The Gold Coast was started by Butch Gottlieb and Earl Frohman in 1978 next door to the original Drake’s Cafe west of Hilldale, where the Burn 60 studio is now. I was there the day it opened. The Gold Coast moved into the former Lilluan’s Restaurant space sometime later, and I don’t know if Butch and Earl moved it, or sold the business. They owned a slough of pioneering gay bars in LA over the years, including the Four Star (Cantina now), The Palms, The Study on Western, Keith’s out in the valley, and a bunch of others, including straight… Read more »
“We don’t want gay bars to become obsolete.”
LOL, does this guy think he’s in Idaho?
Glad I had my fun there for many years when it was fun. Melissa Etheridge’s uncle, Carl, was the manager back in the day. WeHo was safe, awesome, and a non-stop party. Of course, the adjacent “Vaseline Alley” was fun too! Lol. Future generations will never have that carefree fun. So glad I’m old and got to experience all of that!
In the early 1980’s a film “Making Love” came out. Vaseline Alley was featured in a scene. I saw the film at a theater on Hollywood blvd that is no longer there. The mostly Gay audience busted up with laughter and woops. I, too, have fond memories of the Gold Coast, Circus Books and the Alley. Ah, the good old days.
You’re ALMOST as old as me. It was Lillian’s Restuarant back in my day. See my post above.
It looks like the east side of the city is going to get a new bar.I hope the new owners watch and listen to the locals as this place will be by itself and not next to similar businesses.If it doesn’t fit in,it will be overlooked.
Why not just call it “Cote d’or”?
Uh oh! Another “upscale” bar, with semi-celebrity backers! I guess “Bar-Or”(gold) will mean $20 cosmopolitans and mojitos? And valet parking? The real, genuine charm of the old “Gold Coast” was its diveness, CHEAP, strong drinks, and limited FREE parking! It was also one of the few places left (the Bullet in North Hollywood stands alone, now) where MATURE gay people could let their hair down, literally and figuratively, sometimes it was left on that saw dust, peanut-shell-littered-floor. I hope the new owners keep the iconic, phallic topiary ficus tree on the west outside wall? Sad that “Goldcoast” died without a… Read more »
Eagle in Silver Lake has the same clientele as the Bullet.
…..well, kinda?
That’s Eagle III. The original was where MoLo is now. The original MoLo was where AKBar is now.
“And valet parking?”
Please don’t drive to a bar. Walk or uber or SCOOTER! 🙂
Gay guy #1: “Let’s go to Bar Or”
Gay guy #2: “Or what”?
LOL😅
Bar Or, or Or Bar? That hashtag is #ORbar