Farewell To Laguna Beach Landmarks: Boom Boom Room, Coast Inn...
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: LAX ("QLA" as necessary!)
Programs: UA 1P (residual DL, US, AS), SPG
Posts: 1,357
Farewell To Laguna Beach Landmarks: Boom Boom Room, Coast Inn...
It's finally official...
As Laguna Beach (Calif.) continues its gentrification slide away from gay-friendly iconoclastic art colony toward more and more creep from conservative, wealthy Orange County neighbors like Newport Beach and Dana Point, the gay bar BOOM BOOM ROOM and the adjoining Coast Inn will be shutting their doors permanently on Labor Day weekend.
These institutions have been integral to countless men's lives in Southern California, and in the experiences of countless tourists from all over the country, and the world:
http://www.metrog.com/locations/lagunabeach/index.html
www.boomboomroom.com
As Laguna Beach (Calif.) continues its gentrification slide away from gay-friendly iconoclastic art colony toward more and more creep from conservative, wealthy Orange County neighbors like Newport Beach and Dana Point, the gay bar BOOM BOOM ROOM and the adjoining Coast Inn will be shutting their doors permanently on Labor Day weekend.
These institutions have been integral to countless men's lives in Southern California, and in the experiences of countless tourists from all over the country, and the world:
http://www.metrog.com/locations/lagunabeach/index.html
www.boomboomroom.com
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: LAX ("QLA" as necessary!)
Programs: UA 1P (residual DL, US, AS), SPG
Posts: 1,357
I went to UCLA and my best friend went "away" to school at UCIrvine, so Laguna and The Boom were integral to our early gay days...along with the D.O.K. and that other place in Garden Grove? What was the name? This was the early and mid-1980s...
#7
In memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 692
Originally Posted by SFOTRAVELER
I went to UCLA and my best friend went "away" to school at UCIrvine, so Laguna and The Boom were integral to our early gay days...along with the D.O.K. and that other place in Garden Grove? What was the name? This was the early and mid-1980s...
And we can't forget Ozz, up in Buena Park... featuring Rudy De La Mor on the piano...
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: LAX ("QLA" as necessary!)
Programs: UA 1P (residual DL, US, AS), SPG
Posts: 1,357
Originally Posted by pnoeric
The Frat House? I worked in Garden Grove in '92 and remember popping in there a couple of times.
And we can't forget Ozz, up in Buena Park... featuring Rudy De La Mor on the piano...
And we can't forget Ozz, up in Buena Park... featuring Rudy De La Mor on the piano...
The Frat House came along much later...only went there once and don't remember a thing. Thanks for reminding me of the name!
#9
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Seattle,WA
Programs: Hyatt Diamond+, Alaska Airlines MVP, Priority Club Platinum
Posts: 2,682
Originally Posted by pnoeric
This is a shame-- I haven't been to the Boom in over ten years, but always had a good time.
#11
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: UA 1K; SPG Plat; Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,179
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: LAX ("QLA" as necessary!)
Programs: UA 1P (residual DL, US, AS), SPG
Posts: 1,357
Originally Posted by boifromtroy
The Boom Boom Room is the oldest gay bar on the West Coast, and perhaps the 4th oldest in the U.S....started in 1929.
The holiday traffic prevented us from going into downtown to have a drink (NO parking, BAD traffic getting out on 73 or 133), but we will be back later in July and August as well to have what are hopefully NOT our last few cocktails there!
#13
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: San Francisco
Programs: DL Plat / UA Gold 1MM.
Posts: 415
The problem is that no one seems to go to the Boom any more. We were there two Saturday nights ago (June 24) and it was really quiet. My BF was there the night before (Friday) and he said it was totally dead. We've seen this a lot recently.
I don't want the club to close, but I don't see how it can be avoided unless more people patronize the club. I hope OC's sizable community will back up their signatures on the petition with renewed support of the club.
I don't want the club to close, but I don't see how it can be avoided unless more people patronize the club. I hope OC's sizable community will back up their signatures on the petition with renewed support of the club.
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: LAX ("QLA" as necessary!)
Programs: UA 1P (residual DL, US, AS), SPG
Posts: 1,357
Originally Posted by WillFlyer
The problem is that no one seems to go to the Boom any more. We were there two Saturday nights ago (June 24) and it was really quiet. My BF was there the night before (Friday) and he said it was totally dead. We've seen this a lot recently.
I don't want the club to close, but I don't see how it can be avoided unless more people patronize the club. I hope OC's sizable community will back up their signatures on the petition with renewed support of the club.
I don't want the club to close, but I don't see how it can be avoided unless more people patronize the club. I hope OC's sizable community will back up their signatures on the petition with renewed support of the club.
And what about The Little Shrimp? Is that Laguna Beach piano bar still attracting a mostly gay crowd?
#15
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: San Francisco
Programs: DL Plat / UA Gold 1MM.
Posts: 415
One-year reprieve
An agreement has been reached to keep the Boom open for at least another year.
Article from OC Register
Better article from LA Times
Article from OC Register
Better article from LA Times