Akbar gay bar

Looking back to the early 1990s, Scott Craig and Peter Alexander, residents of Silver Lake, were enthusiasts of live performances and party organizers. Their shared affection for punk rock and social gatherings, combined with their aspiration to establish a bar where individuals of all sexual orientations could celebrate together, motivated their acquisition of a shuttered piano bar. Consequently, they transformed it into the establishment presently recognized as Akbar. This year marks Akbar's twentieth anniversary. Alexander had spent his formative years in Los Angeles, while Craig had journeyed extensively due to his father's service in the Air Force, yet predominantly grew up within the Bay Area. Ultimately, the pair's paths converged during the early 1980s in L.A., where they frequented the city's punk rock scene. They eventually entered into a relationship and imagined the concept of launching a bar in tandem, with the goal of crafting their personal "clubhouse," a space for socializing and enjoying drinks alongside their companions. Considerably, things have evolved in the twenty years that have elapsed since the pair inaugurated Akbar: they've parted ways as a couple, the area has undergone gentrification, and the nation's outlook on gay individuals has greatly shifted for the better. Nevertheless, the bar has faithfully upheld its foundational principles, serving inexpensive, uncomplicated beverages while furnishing a laid-back setting where people from all walks of existence can find relaxation.

During the beginning of the nineties, Silver Lake boasted numerous gay bars. According to Alexander, it was a situation where you could scarcely avoid encountering one. However, the challenge resided in the fact that those bars lacked integration during that era. There were gay-designated establishments, alongside straight-designated establishments. As Craig and Alexander saw it, the punk rock scene they enjoyed did not conform to that distinction.

"Everyone found themselves on a level playing field," Craig expressed. "Nobody was preoccupied with your gender identity or sex, or any of those concerns."

Alexander recounted that he and Craig devoted the '80s to the exploration of underground clubs, which he characterized as akin to a "pre-rave sort of environment." Among these establishments were the AntiClub, as well as the Theoretical Club, which was occasionally conducted on Sunday afternoons within a leather bar. As Craig recollected, it wasn't uncommon to observe leather-clad individuals intermingling with goth subculture enthusiasts in a shared space.

"However, during the early part of the 90s, numerous of those establishments ceased operations, and a substantial number of individuals passed away," Alexander noted, making reference to the AIDS epidemic.

Craig and Alexander swiftly came to the realization that should they desire a place where their gay and straight friends could associate beyond the confines of their own home, they would potentially need to forge such a space themselves.

During that period, Silver Lake represented a more economical district to reside in. It drew numerous musicians and artists to live and socialize there, Craig and Alexander included. Craig held a role in TV commercial production, while Alexander was engaged in motion picture advertising. A prominent client under his purview was Matt Groening, the creative mind behind the Simpsons. Alexander undertook responsibilities pertaining to all related merchandising efforts and, as Craig mentioned, would have facilitated an interview arrangement with Homer Simpson, if such a request were made.

Back then, Silver Lake was also more unsafe. Alexander experienced a mugging, and Craig once intervened to prevent a hate crime which he encountered while passing through the area.

"On one occasion, a knife was brandished at me, though I made the intelligent decision to flee," Craig recalled.

Despite the near misses, Craig indicated that he was already aware of the transformation of L.A. dive bars into fashionable clubs. He cited Good Luck Bar as an example, noting its past as a drag queen establishment. Little Joy had previously been a gay hangout. Craig would enter bars of that nature and inquire with the owners regarding the possibility of hosting a DJ and enticing his acquaintances to partake in their affordable beverages. However, such venues were dwindling. Upon learning of the availability of the piano bar situated at the intersection of Sunset, Hoover, and Fountain, Craig proposed to Alexander that they secure it before someone else did.

"I didn't want it morphing into some exclusive, velvet-rope style establishment that I couldn't gain entry to," he clarified.

Acquiring that bar also meant the ability to host those events in their very own space. As far as they were thinking, if they achieved just breaking even, that would be acceptable. It would resemble hosting a party with complimentary drinks, while also covering the expenses of cleanup services.

The establishment bore the name Jolie's two, indicating the presence of another such bar situated on Western that presumably functioned as the original. Craig and Alexander gathered funds from approximately two dozen friends and their parents, thereby removing Jolie's two from the market. Craig took possession of the keys on the eleventh of December in 1995. The previous owner gathered his checkbook and calculator, surrendered the keys to Craig and departed.

Afterward, they needed to conceive a moniker. They had previously visited Crow Bar within New York—"back when the East Village remained undesirable," according to Alexander—and thoroughly appreciated the experience. They desired a name that incorporated the term "bar." Not a lounge. Not a club. A bar: a venue for arriving to consume alcohol and have a pleasant time. And Craig preferred it to commence with the letter "a."

"This was back when phonebooks were still in common usage," he explained.

He was suggesting names to Alexander such as A1 Bar, Acme Bar, and proceeded alphabetically until he arrived at Akbar. It is not, as some might have guessed, a misspelled allusion to Star Wars. Rather, it is a reference to Matt Groening's Life in Hell. Within the comic, Akbar and Jeff constitute a romantic pairing (confirmed by Groening in a Rolling Stone interview), despite having been described as "brothers or lovers... or perhaps both" in the strip at various instances. The two characters exhibit identical physical characteristics and attire, donning striped shirts and fezzes, and came into existence when Groening was attempting to depict Charlie Brown. The name Akbar held familiarity for Alexander and Craig because, as previously stated, Alexander was employed by Groening.

As Alexander conveyed, Jolie's 2 possessed the aesthetic of "Navajo white alongside cigarette stains," complete with vertical blinds, copious mirrors, and synthetic vegetation. They found this displeasing. However, subsequent to reaching a decision regarding the name Akbar, their concepts for the décor transitioned from ideas involving a quirky coffee shop ambiance—replete with mismatched couches and road signs adorning the walls—to opulent reds and hand-painted tables, brought to fruition for the duo by a mutual acquaintance. Subsequently, a separate friend created the two sizable portraits depicting a nude male and a nude female that now grace the wall situated opposite the bar. They chose to preserve the bar stools—when one is pulled up to the bar, the patron is seated upon a stool that has inhabited the building for an extended period, even predating Alexander and Craig. Concerning their interior design undertakings, Alexander recounted that one magazine published a statement asserting that the bar evoked the ambiance of a "cheesy Moroccan airport lounge."

The duo also meticulously curated their personal jukebox. This is the exact same jukebox that remains positioned prominently within the bar's premises to this day, substantial and analog in nature.

"We distinguished ourselves as the inaugural gay bar devoid of disco and divas," Alexander stated. "We showcased rock 'n' roll." And naturally, punk, the genre that had initially united the pair. They upheld a no-Madonna policy throughout the initial eighteen years of their operations, asserting that one could readily hear Madonna's music at any other venue. While they have only lately adjusted their Cher policy, their intention is to exclusively stock the vintage hits, as specified by Craig. They have also been recognized to populate the jukebox with recordings by local musicians.

Following their acquisition of the keys on December 11th, they launched operations on New Year's Eve. The paint remained damp, and visitors were requested to refrain from sitting on specified benches until later in the evening, as those surfaces had also recently been painted.

The first night resulted in crowded conditions, a phenomenon that one might ascribe to the holiday itself, although the following days didn't measure up. Despite the absence of advertising endeavors, their clientele grew at a steady rate. They were featured in an article in TIME Magazine, and Craig recalled that Los Angeles Magazine had once mentioned they were trendier than The Mondrian's Skybar. Back in 2003, L.A. Magazine distinguished Akbar as the foremost gay bar for taking a straight companion during the evening. "Our motto initially proclaimed, 'We're not just a gay bar, we're not just a straight bar, we're a great bar!'" Alexander expressed, accompanied by a grin that conveyed his cognizance of the inherent corniness of the catchphrase.

The bar soon commenced to attract celebrities. Some can be found eternally memorialized through autographed portraits affixed to one wall, which Craig refers to as his "dry cleaners" wall, owing to the fact that even dry cleaning establishments throughout Los Angeles take pride in their well-known customer base. Craig recounted that he recognized their success upon spotting k.d. lang amid their patrons on an exceptionally crowded evening. Michael Stipe has been sighted entering through their doorway, accompanied by Minnie Driver. Both gentlemen lamented the occasions when Elliott Smith would visit, consuming whiskey and engaging them in discussions pertaining to the music sector before his untimely passing in 2003. His iconic memorial is merely a few steps away from the front entrance to Akbar.

"After a duration of time, one becomes somewhat less awestruck by celebrities," Craig noted.

"Yes, given they cease visiting," Alexander responded with a chuckle. "They're pursuing the next fashionable bar!"

Not every celebrity has frequented the bar with the intention of partying. One evening in 2006, Tim Heidecker, a comedian, stumbled into the bar subsequent to being stabbed in the back by his neighbor, who was under the influence of PCP. Following the stabbing, the neighbor continued to pursue him along the street. Within a recounting of the incident at the NerdMelt showroom, Heidecker recalled initially heading towards Tang's Donuts in search of help, but the sole employee present seemed to be no match for an assailant brandishing a knife. Subsequently, he made his way towards McDonald's, which was closed.

The neighbor tailed him inside, Heidecker fell behind the bar, and a number of staff members and patrons collaborated to subdue his attacker. A paramedic student offered reassurance as he fully understood the extent of his stabbing.

You have the capacity to hear Heidecker narrate the complete account, presented from his individual viewpoint, at this location:

Craig will emphasize that Akbar does not cater specifically to the 'bear' demographic.

"That specific night featured deep house music!" he specified.

In 2004, the entirety of the building was placed on the market. Craig and Alexander resolved to acquire it, fearing that they could eventually be priced out of the neighborhood. Once they had acquired ownership of the building, they made an opening through the wall of the adjacent clothing store, where a dance floor had existed during a previous incarnation recognized as the Silver Dollar Saloon. During the period of this restoration, they noted the unusual extent of the pipes they encountered. It was later determined that the floor above had functioned as a bathhouse named the Silver Saddle, and the pipes had been expanded to accommodate steam rooms including additional amenities. Now, no scandalous activities take place above the bar, merely offices. In the past, these office spaces have been occupied by musician Jeff Buckley's mother, also designer Louis Verdad.

Following the passage of Prop. 8 in November of 2008, thereby removing the right for gay individuals to marry, they determined to raise a rainbow flag outside their establishment for the first occasion. Gays spanning the U.S. hold the right to wed, of course, as of eight years subsequently, and the flag has continued to be displayed. While challenges continue to be present—Craig indicated the recent Orlando shooting with a sorrowful expression—Craig expressed satisfaction with residing during an era in which routine egg throwing or graffiti incidents are no longer taking place, occurrences that were common when certain individuals learned that Akbar operated as a gay bar.

"It's absolutely a positive transition. One does not observe boorish actions between patrons any longer. Irrespective of sexual orientation, gender, one simply does not," Craig specified.

Akbar has faithfully continued with its initial principles. It functions as a gay bar, instead of a lounge or a club. Any individual has the ability to visit and experience a welcoming atmosphere. One might happen upon a comedy performance, art-making evening, or a DJ set, contingent on the timing of their visit. Regardless of the mixology-oriented bars emerging rapidly, Akbar has maintained its affordability with well drinks priced at six dollars.

"It's delightful to firmly maintain this corner of the vicinity and continue to serve as a resource for individuals," Alexander stated.

Permit us to end the discussion by sharing Akbar's own articulation, as conveyed through their mission statement:

Akbar is situated at 4356 W. Sunset Blvd. in Silver Lake, (323) 665-6810

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The most essential LGBTQ Bars and Clubs found throughout Los Angeles