Ramrod Boston (Iconic Boston Leather Bar 1981-2020)

Ramrod, Boston was the city's go-to leather-and-Levi’s gay bar—bold, unfiltered, and proudly sex-positive—from its opening in 1981 on Boylston Street until it closed in 2020 ahead of the demolition of the building. Inside those blacked‑out walls lingered the smell of cigarettes, the hum of loud music, and dim corners for connection—exactly the kind of refuge the queer leather community craved in a still‑puritanical city.

Ramrod wasn’t just a bar—it was the beating heart of Boston’s leather scene. Front-of-house welcomed anyone, but the backroom enforced strict leather-only attire rules—boots, belts, bits of hardware—pulling in the fetish crowd while remaining open to the curious newcomer. Its basement sibling, Machine (opened in 1998), brought drag, dance, and experimentation just one floor down.

Across nearly four decades, Ramrod hosted leather nights, drag shows by Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans, pig dances, Mandance, and more—crafting a space that felt both intimate and electric. When the lights finally went out in 2020 and the wrecking ball rolled in on that Fenway block, Boston quietly lost one of its last bastions of queer subculture. Yet Ramrod’s spirit—resilient, unapologetic, and rooted in community—still pumps through vintage tees, shared stories, and the memory that some nights were made for leather.

I use Bella + Canvas 3001 Unisex tees for all of my designs. They are a soft and light cotton. If you love another brand, please let me know and I can see if I can source it. I can also do my designs on tanks, long sleeve tees, sweatshirts, hoodies and posters. Just reach out with any custom requests and I'll gladly help you out. I do like large prints, but if you want the design scaled down, please contact me before placing an order and I can send you some mock ups.

Bella + Canvas 3001 UNISEX JERSEY SHORT SLEEVE TEE

Sizes:

Small: 18" chest/28" body length

Medium: 20" chest/29" body length

Large: 22" chest/30" body length

XL: 24" chest/31" body length

2XL: 26" chest/32" body length

3XL: 28" chest/33" body length.

Standard colors: 100% Airlume combed and ringspun cotton Fabric blends: Ash and Heather Prism colors - 99% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 1% polyester;

Heather colors - 52% cotton, 48% polyester;