Clementina's Baybrick, was a lesbian bar, dance club, and hostel in operation from September 1982 to October 1987 in the SoMA neighborhood at 1190 Folsom Street in San Francisco, California.[1][2][3] It went by many name variations, including Clementina's Baybrick Inn, Clementina's Bay Brick Inn, The Baybrick, The Bay Brick, and The Brick.

Clementina's Baybrick
Location1190 Folsom Street,
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Coordinates37°46′31″N 122°24′36″W / 37.775368°N 122.409917°W / 37.775368; -122.409917
Active datesSeptember 1982 – October 4, 1987

Since 1993, the former Clementina's Baybrick space is known as the Cat Club.[1][4]

History

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The building is located in part of the historic Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District;[5] and was the former location of The Waiting Arms / Earthquake Ethel's (1974), The Hungry Hole (1976–1977), and Brown's Pub (1980–1983).[5] Clementina's was a bar and dance club, and it was inside the basement of the Baybrick Inn building, a hotel.[2] Clementina's was named after the alley it was near.[1] Lauren Hewitt was the owner and manager,[3][6] she also was a co-organizer of the Gay/Lesbian Freedom Band Festival, and helped plan the 1984 Folsom Street Fair.

Clementina's Baybrick hosted a variety of entertainment events including comedy open mic nights, cabaret nights, a variety of musical performances, dance parties, tea dances, and lesbian-centered strip shows.[3] On October 23, 1983, the Asian Women's Group (AWG) sponsored a dance event, "A Sunday Bash" which was attended by some 125 women.[7] Les Nickelettes, a feminist satirical performance art troupe had a six-week run (around 1983) during the Clementina's Baybrick Wednesday night cabaret series.[2]

The hostel/inn portion closed in 1984.[3] The bar and dance club closed on October 4, 1987.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Pride Month Theatrical Walking Tour Highlights SoMa's LGBTQ+ History". CBS News. June 11, 2019. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Larson, Denise (July 27, 2021). Anarchy in High Heels: A Memoir. She Writes Press. p. 306. ISBN 978-1-64742-137-3. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e Cockrell, Cathy (October 2, 1987). "Baybrick Era Ends" (PDF). San Francisco Sentinel. pp. 1, 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 12, 2022.
  4. ^ Keraghosian, Greg (October 7, 2021). "'We are the Cheers bar': The stories behind SF's iconic nightspot". SFGATE. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Rubin, Gayle (September 20, 2001). "The South of Market Leather History" (PDF). San Francisco Frontiers. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 15, 2023.
  6. ^ "Bay Brick Inn records". Online Archive of California (OAC). Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  7. ^ Hune, Shirley; Nomura, Gail M.; Nomura, Gail M. (August 2003). Asian/Pacific Islander American Women: A Historical Anthology. NYU Press. p. 333. ISBN 978-0-8147-3632-6.
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