Gay bars san diego hillcrest
Gay bars were not always the safe havens they are today.
The community is not the same, it’s not as accepting, it’s not as, you know, open arms. It’s like comparing going here to somewhere downtown. “For lack of a better word, I mean it’s home, you know? We can’t be the same in a straight bar. I feel more comfortable with myself, with my partner,” Torres said. He said he feels fine at straight bars, but it’s nothing compared to gay bars. He has frequented The Rail and other local bars for six years. It meant Allen Torres was able to return to his happy place. RELATED: San Diego Pride: Hybrid Events, Full-Strength Heart Gavin Newsom lifted the last of the state’s major COVID-19 restrictions. Because I still didn’t know, none of us knew,” Santillan said.īut they made it through and The Rail had its grand-reopening celebration on June 17, two days after Gov. I would come in, walk around the bar and go ‘oh god, I can’t do this’ and just walk out the door in tears. While Santillan was immensely grateful for that support, she still had many moments when she thought it would all be over. Santillan also received a PPP loan and her landlords helped her work out a plan to stay open. She also did her best to take care of her staff, making them meals each day until they were on unemployment. Santillan tried to make the most of the lockdown period, using the time to make some repairs. It’s just bigger than most people can imagine.” “And losing Pride to anyone in this neighborhood business-wise is huge. “That to me was like the harder blow- not just COVID, it was losing Pride,” she said. Santillan’s low point came when 2020’s Pride was cancelled. Things weren’t much better for Gayle Santillan, who owns The Rail, San Diego’s oldest gay bar, which is also on Fifth Avenue. But the SRO Lounge also suffered through a severe gas leak and a car crash into the building during what was one of the darkest years of its existence. The pandemic dealt a crippling blow to all gay bars.