The Stonewall Inn
The Stonewall Inn by dog97209
Location: 53 Christopher Street, New York, New York
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Opening Hours: Monday thru Friday 2PM-4AM, Saturday & Sunday 1PM-4AM
Website | Instagram
Phone number: +1 (212) 488 2705
Menu Price: $$
What's the vibe like at The Stonewall Inn?
When you enter The Stonewall Inn, you will find a traditional dive bar on the ground floor, with high-top tables, a service bar, and a pool table. On certain nights, you might find an improvised tiny stage in the middle of the floor where drag queens and comedians do their thing. Their parties happen on the second floor, where there's a bigger stage for live performances during the week and a lounge area.
Overall, the atmosphere is always fun and welcoming. Like most gay bars in West Village, The Stonewall Inn has a mixed crowd with tourists and locals from different tribes.
What songs do they play?
Expect to listen to pop hits from different generations, including Madonna's greatest hits until Dua Lipa's recent bops. There might be changes in the music style according to each party.
Is there a fee to enter The Stonewall Inn?
There's usually no fee to enter the ground floor of The Stonewall Inn. However, there might be a small fee, something between $5 and $10, for events on the up floor. You can always check their Instagram to see what's going on.
What is the dress code?
Casual Dress. There's no need to wear fancy clothes unless you want to.
History
The Stonewall is considered the location of the beginning of the Gay Rights Movement. Here's how it happened: In the early 1960s, while homosexuality was legal in the state of New York and establishments were forbidden to sell alcohol to "disorderly groups," members of the New York Mafia saw a business opportunity in the gay community.
In 1966, Tony Lauria, from the Genovese crime family, purchased the restaurant Stonewall Inn at Christopher Street and reopened it as a gay bar. The Stonewall Inn had no running water and no fire exits.
To avoid cops in the establishment, Tony would pay New York's Sixth Police Precinct around $1,200 a month. The corruption scheme did not last for too long.
Police officers would knock on bars famously known for hosting parties for the gay community. Then, they would proceed to violently interrogate or even arrest everyone interacting with someone of the same sex or wearing a piece of clothing not related to their birth gender - those who would disrespect the state's gender-appropriate clothing statute would be taken to the bathroom to have their sex checked by officers.
On June 28th of 1969, the NYPD decided to stop by The Stonewall Inn. But instead of aligning in fear and waiting for the officers' harassment, a group of transgender people, lesbians, drag queens, and queer men who were there that night refused to cooperate. Their braveness called the attention of neighborhood residents, and a crowd gathered around the club to watch what was happening. Sylvia Rivera is credited for starting the riot. The officers got agitated, losing control of the situation. While arresting one of the lesbians in the crowd, they hit her head on the police van, and she shouted to the public to act up. Another trans hero like Sylvia, Marsha P Johnson threw the first cobble brick against the officials. Those brave queer heroes did not go back on their decision, forcing the NYPD to create a barricade at Christopher Street.
A few people got arrested during the protest, 13 total, but the police officers left defeated. After that night, the LGBTQ+ community learned the power they had in their hands. The Gay Liberation Movement gained the strength it needed to amplify the discussion for equal rights. That was the beginning of a precious chapter in gay history. The manifestation at Stonewall Inn inspired organizations all over the country to raise their fists and bring the fight to the streets. That's how New York became Gay Rights Movement's motherland. Half a century may have passed, but the city still preserves and celebrates this part of history with different landmarks and projects.
The Stonewall Inn closed its doors shortly after the riots. The space was leased as two separate spaces over the years. In 1987, a bar named Stonewall opened at 51 Christopher Street, but it only lasted for two years. In 1990, a new bar called New Jimmy's at Stonewall Place opened at 53 Christopher Street - the bar changed the name to Stonewall one year after.
The new Stonewall closed in 2005, and in 2006 it was bought by a management group that owns the bar until today. Stacy Marie Lentz, Dr. Marisa Richmond, Stacy McWilliams, Scott D. Harris, Zara Barre, and Angelica Torres are part of the Board of Directors. Lorna Luft, the daughter of Liza Minnelli, is one of the advisors of the bar. Kurt Kelly is an owner of the Stonewall Inn, and a co-founder of the Stonewall Inn Gives back Initiative.
Other gay bars in the neighborhood: The Duplex, Pieces Bar, Playhouse NYC, Cubbyhole, Henrietta Hudson, Monster Bar, Hangar Bar, Rockbar, Julius’, Ty’s, Marie’s Crisis Cafe
Pop Culture references:
Madonna performed at The Stonewall Inn in 2019, kicking off the 50th anniversary of the police raid and riots at the bar that are considered the birth of the gay rights movement.
Lady Gaga made a surprise appearance in front of The Stonewall Inn to celebrate 50 years of Pride.
Taylor Swift released her new single You Need to Calm Down with a pocket-show at The Stonewall Inn in 2019.
The Stonewall Riots inspired the play Hit the Wall, by Ike Holter, from 2012.
In 2015, the movie Stonewall was criticized for portraying a whitewashed version of the Stonewall Riots.
books:
The Stonewall Reader by the New York Public Library (2019).
Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution by David Carter (2010).
Stonewall: The Definitive Story of the LGBTQ Rights Uprising that Changed America by Martin Duberman (2019).
Videos:
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