QUOTE
Cheap Seats
U Street bar goes both ways.
By Dave McKenna
Posted: August 29, 2007
Three of the five flat screens in the main room at Nellie's Sports Bar are set to the Redskins-Ravens game as it finally kicks off Saturday night. The volume on all the TVs is turned down, however, so the patrons who are pretty much packing the downstairs level at the new U Street joint don't get to hear the play-by-play. Instead, the house sound system pumps the Pet Shop Boys' "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)."
And nobody in the almost-entirely male crowd seems to give a damn.
Hold on, here: The Pet Shop Boys soundtracking a Redskins game? Is this some sort of gay bar?
Absolutely. With Nellie's opening last month, owner/entrepreneur Doug Schantz hopes to give D.C. its first gay sports bar.
....
He's used to playing off-type (he says he was, until recently, a proud Republican). And based on his years in advertising, Schantz has come to the conclusion that D.C. is more than ready for a place like Nellie's, no matter how odd "gay sports bar" looks on paper.
And it does look odd.
"... From when we open 'til 8 or 9 [p.m], it's a very neighborhood-oriented place, whoever comes to watch the game. And then, about 10 o'clock or so, it's a much more gay crowd, later on at night, when they're ready."
Why is the gay crowd so late?
Says Schantz, "It takes four or five hours to get ready. Hello!"
U Street bar goes both ways.
By Dave McKenna
Posted: August 29, 2007
Three of the five flat screens in the main room at Nellie's Sports Bar are set to the Redskins-Ravens game as it finally kicks off Saturday night. The volume on all the TVs is turned down, however, so the patrons who are pretty much packing the downstairs level at the new U Street joint don't get to hear the play-by-play. Instead, the house sound system pumps the Pet Shop Boys' "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)."
And nobody in the almost-entirely male crowd seems to give a damn.
Hold on, here: The Pet Shop Boys soundtracking a Redskins game? Is this some sort of gay bar?
Absolutely. With Nellie's opening last month, owner/entrepreneur Doug Schantz hopes to give D.C. its first gay sports bar.
....
He's used to playing off-type (he says he was, until recently, a proud Republican). And based on his years in advertising, Schantz has come to the conclusion that D.C. is more than ready for a place like Nellie's, no matter how odd "gay sports bar" looks on paper.
And it does look odd.
"... From when we open 'til 8 or 9 [p.m], it's a very neighborhood-oriented place, whoever comes to watch the game. And then, about 10 o'clock or so, it's a much more gay crowd, later on at night, when they're ready."
Why is the gay crowd so late?
Says Schantz, "It takes four or five hours to get ready. Hello!"
Fun article, but that's to be expected. He turns in an entertaining column just about every week. I've exchanged emails with Dave McKenna on other subjects. He's OK. Give him some feedback.
Dave McKenna: <davmckenna@aol.com>
LTTE: <mail@washingtoncitypaper.com>
