Julius', New York City's Oldest Gay Bar, Starts GoFundMe

No sooner did the famed Stonewall Inn receive a $250,000 donation to keep from shutting comes word that Julius' -- home of the famed 1966 "Sip-In" that established the right of homosexuals to be served in licensed premises in New York -- is also in dire financial straits.

Owner Helen Buford writes:

I’m reaching out to you because we need your help in saving our beloved Julius' Bar for posterity and to ensure that history stays alive.

Today indoor dining was postponed in NYC. The bills are piling up, rent, utilities, insurance, etc. and there is no set date for indoor dining.

This historic bar means so much to so many people because of its rich history. On April 21, 2016, Julius' Bar was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, and for the historical significance of LGBT Greenwich Village. Fifty four years ago a person could be refused service in a bar simply for being gay, and his or her mere presence there could result in the bar’s closure by the State Liquor Authority. On April 21, 1966, Dick Leitsch and other members of the Mattachine Society, an early LGBT rights organization, staged the now famous Sip-In at Julius’ bar in the Village to challenge this “legal” discrimination. After they announced to the bartender that they were homosexuals and wished to be served, they were refused service. The event generated publicity and was one of the earliest pre-Stonewall public actions for LGBT rights. Scholars of LGBT history consider the Sip-In at Julius’ a key event leading to the growth of legitimate LGBT bars and the development of the bar as the central social space for urban LGBT New Yorkers.

Today Julius' welcomes all people to share in the history and to preserve it's legacy. The staff and I are eager to serve you safely once again but we need your help. Any amount you can donate will help with the operating expenses. If you can't donate please share this page. 

Thank you for your love and support,

Visit the bar's GoFundMe HERE.

With Damian and Greg

On a personal note, Julius' has been my local pub for a number of years. I celebrated when New York state legalized gay marriage in 2011 and was there again the night the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality. It's also where my fiance and I spent many of our early dates, tucked away in the back making out. Scenes from "The Boys in the Band" and "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" were also filmed there. Would be a shame to see it erased from NYC history.

With my friend Chad and blogger Andy Towle 

With my friend Frank