Baltimore’s oldest gay bar has closed temporarily following the death of its owner but a reopening plan is in the works.
Dozens of patrons gathered at Leon’s in Mount Vernon on Wednesday night after operators posted on social media that the bar would be closing temporarily that night as part of a transition to new ownership.
The message followed the death of the bar’s owner for more than 20 years, Ron Singer, on July 7 at the age of 66.
Patrons were told that the new owner is Singer’s son-in-law, who has worked at the bar for nearly 10 years. They were told that Leon’s will be closed temporarily while the transition to new ownership is completed. In the meantime, entertainment events that usually take place at Leon’s, including karaoke and bingo, will move temporarily to The Club Car at 12 W. North Ave. Leon’s bartenders will also be working there in the interim.
“Leon’s is community and this proves it right now,” representative Stacey Antoine said in response to the turnout and outpouring of support on Wednesday night. “We are not going anywhere. I want you all to rest easy…If there’s one thing we are about, we are about community.”
The announcement came as a relief to patrons who feared the closure might be permanent and Baltimore would lose another LGBTQ-friendly nightspot.
With entrances at 870 Park Ave. and 227 W. Chase St., Leon’s is the oldest continuously operating gay bar in Baltimore and one of the oldest gay bars in the country. Its name comes from Leon Lampe, who owned the bar in the 1930s. It has operated as a gay bar since 1957, making it nearly 70 years old. The building owner is 227 West Chase LLC and it last changed hands in 2009, according to state records.
Here’s the message that was posted on Wednesday by “us here at Leon’s”:
As many of you know, losing Ron has been a profound loss for this amazing community. To honor his memory and navigate this business transition, we have made the decision to temporarily close our doors starting tomorrow [Thursday].
We will be opening today [Wednesday] at 4 p.m. and closing early by 9 p.m. for one final, special shift.
We are trying our very best to reopen as fast as possible!
Please come out tonight, raise a glass to Ron, and share your favorite memories.
We love and thank you all for the incredible support.
Because the message didn’t give a timeframe for reopening, it sparked a range of comments on social media before Wednesday night.
More than a few patrons recalled other gay bars and gay-friendly night spots that have closed in Mount Vernon in recent years, including Club Hippo, now a CVS Pharmacy, and Grand Central, now Bliss Nail Bar. Also gone: Mary’s; the Barracks; the Allegro; Stage Coach; City Café; the Gallery; Girard’s; G.A.Y.; Flavor; Red Maple and Jay’s on Read, among others.
But Antoine’s announcement gave patrons assurance that Leon’s will be back after the transition to new ownership, including the transfer of banking and credit card accounts.
Part of the transition includes amending the bar’s liquor license to reflect the change of ownership, a process that requires a public hearing. A hearing date has not been announced. Under the board’s policies, the death of a license holder does not mean that an establishment has to close immediately, but survivors must take steps to reflect the change in ownership if they want to keep it open.
For now, Leon’s liquor license is up to date and active, but there is a time consideration. According to state law, a liquor license will expire if the establishment is closed for 180 days without action to maintain or transfer it.
