Martys gay bar

Fannies was opened as a lesbian bar in September by Sharon Dixon who had previously been a business partner in at least one other lesbian bar, the Sugar Shack. Prior to this, another local gay bar, ' Finale ', had named one of their bowling league teams the 'Finale Fannies'.

Owner Sharon Dixon recalls bar popularity of the bar in an interview see below. In addition to numerous theme parties, a "Fannie Fest' street party, cookouts martys shows, the bar built a beautiful outdoor patio, fenced in to provide privacy. The patio became one of the bar's most popular features even when the business was eventually reopened under other names.

Fannies is best known to some for its colorful and checkered history. Extremely popular with the lesbian crowd for many years, there were a few robberies, accidents and fires and a great deal of speculation about whether the owner was involved in one or more of them. The bar was closed several times for gay after fires or other reasons.

The most remembered incident is a fire at Fannies on October 28, which resulted in the bar sustaining extensive damage; at the time, it is said the bar was in disrepair and facing competition from a new lesbian bar, ' Dish ', that was scheduled to open nearby. Owner Dixon was convicted of arson in January In Step vbut appealed.

Throughout that time, the bar was fixed up and reopened in early The bar seems to have been on rocky grounds however.

Chicago Gay Bars

The bar was no longer being listed in most issues of local LGBT publications' "bar guides". A mention in the daily calendar of Quest v for Friday June 9, simply said that "Fannies Milw reopens today, under new ownership and management". The July issue of In Step magazine v mentions that the bar has been renamed ' The Club ', and yet in Quest v December a mention is made that bar is open again and drawing respectable crowds".

Confusion among patrons reined, and the media seemed just as confused so often left the bar off their listings by any name! By Januarythe only mentions in media are of 'Fannies' again, 'The Club' name having been quietly dropped. In Septemberthe gay noted in the "Diversions of the Day" calendar in Quest v magazine that they would be holding a "20 Year Anniversary Weekend Party" on September 20, the start of what would have been the bar's 20th year.

But in the next issue of Quest v, Octoberword that the bar had been remodeled and reopened as Pulsea 'mostly gay' bar. Fannies September to September Pulse October to approx. June Passion approx. Martys to approx. March Studio approx. June to approx. August After sitting vacant for six years following the closure of "Studio ", the building was demolished in September, still displaying the "Studio " name above the entrance.

Fannies E. Washington St.