'People years ago wouldn't have been comfortable with windows,' said Steve Warman, 65, who has bartended in gay bars in Indianapolis since the 1970s. Indianapolis gay bars used to be in the dark, not just figuratively but literally - they didn't used to have windows. 'The afternoon light just came busting through and hit you,' said Bill. Since the 1970s, when Downtown Olly's was a different gay bar called Brothers, the wall had sealed off two huge picture windows in front. Several years ago, he was at that same bar, during a remodeling, as workers tore away a wall. He was 90 days sober and figured it would look bad to his AA sponsor, never mind he was drinking Diet Coke.īut he had something interesting, something metaphorical, to say, as 'Rock me, Amadeus' played in the background at Downtown Olly's, 822 N. Not because he was in a gay bar, but because he was in a bar period. Actors will bring to life six locations in Indianapolis Old Northside tickets: $60.īill declined to disclose his last name. Indiana Humanities is hosting an LGBT history bar crawl on June 20 at 6 p.m. This story was originally published June 8, 2012.
View Gallery: Indy's gay bars of bygone years
