{"product_id":"bench-bar-legendary-oakland-gay-club-1978-2020","title":"Bench \u0026 Bar (Legendary Oakland Gay Bar\/1978-2020)","description":"\u003ch1 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003eBench \u0026amp; Bar — Oakland Vintage 1978–2020 Gay Bar Tee\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFounded around \u003cstrong\u003e1978\u003c\/strong\u003e, Bench \u0026amp; Bar was one of Oakland's most beloved gay institutions, a legendary nightclub that helped shape the city's LGBTQ nightlife for more than 40 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the name? It wasn't just some clever reference to drinking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe original owners were a judge and an attorney.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original Bench \u0026amp; Bar was located at \u003cstrong\u003e120 11th Street\u003c\/strong\u003e, near Lake Merritt, during a period when Oakland was developing a lively gay bar scene of its own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile San Francisco's Castro District was attracting international attention, Oakland offered a somewhat less touristy alternative, with neighborhood bars, dance clubs, and gathering places catering to the East Bay's increasingly diverse gay community.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd Bench \u0026amp; Bar quickly became one of its favorites.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy \u003cstrong\u003e1980\u003c\/strong\u003e, the club was advertising dance nights, free buffets, and something wonderfully called \u003cstrong\u003e\"69 Time,\"\u003c\/strong\u003e when selected drinks were available for just 69 cents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bar also became an important gathering place for Oakland's LGBTQ community, hosting fundraisers, live performances, and special events. In \u003cstrong\u003e1981\u003c\/strong\u003e, entertainer \u003cstrong\u003eDavid Kelsey and his group Pure Trash\u003c\/strong\u003e performed at a benefit at Bench \u0026amp; Bar, one of the many colorful events that helped make the establishment a neighborhood institution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the following decades, Bench \u0026amp; Bar evolved into one of the East Bay's most popular gay nightclubs, eventually becoming particularly well known for its \u003cstrong\u003eBlack and Latino LGBTQ clientele\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnder longtime owner \u003cstrong\u003eCharles Bisbee\u003c\/strong\u003e, who purchased the club in 2000 after working his way up from doorman, Bench \u0026amp; Bar continued expanding its audience and entertainment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe club eventually relocated to downtown Oakland, including a location at \u003cstrong\u003e510 17th Street\u003c\/strong\u003e, and later became known as \u003cstrong\u003eClub BnB\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrag shows, go-go dancers, pageants, karaoke, Latin dance nights, and the wonderfully named \u003cstrong\u003eLa Bota Loca\u003c\/strong\u003e parties helped make the club one of Oakland's most recognizable gay nightlife destinations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnfortunately, the good times couldn't last forever.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cstrong\u003eDecember 2019\u003c\/strong\u003e, owners announced that Club BnB and its sister establishment, Club 21, would be forced to close after their building was sold to developers planning to convert the property into office space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir final night was \u003cstrong\u003eJanuary 12, 2020\u003c\/strong\u003e, ending more than four decades of queer nightlife history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Printify","offers":[{"title":"Gold \/ 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