Image of Johnny Kobler’s Bar, circa 1950s. Courtesy of Larry Wilson.
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Opened in 1937 by Johnny Kobler. The bar catered to a straight clientele in the 1940’s to mid-50’s, until Kobler passed away in 1953 and his attorneys for the estate took over. In 1957 the bar became “mixed” and catered to both LGBTQ+ and straight clientele. |
Johnny Kobler’s Matchbook, circa 1950s. Courtesy of LGBT-014, DCA.
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“…so, the gays started going in there and it remained straight in the front of the bar and the gays were in the back of the bar, but they got along fine, nobody fought or anything and then real late at night the straights would go home, and the gays then would be left there, and it would be just them.” – Larry Wilson, 1960s Group Oral History
In 1961, Johnny Kobler’s estate sold the bar, and it officially closed as a LGBTQ+ bar location.
