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Starlight Lounge in Danger of Closing Forever

Categories: Crown Heights, Nightlife, Quality of Life

StarlightLounge2.jpg

The Starlight Lounge, located at Nostrand Ave and Bergen St, in Crown Heights North, is Brooklyn’s oldest gay bar, and perhaps also Brooklyn’s first black owned gay bar. However, the future of this neighborhood institution is looking bleak. As reported on Gothamist, the bar’s manager, Tim Leviticus, is quoted saying, “"Without us knowing, the old landlord sold the building — not even giving us the right to purchase it. We haven't met the new owner yet, but we've heard he wants the building to be empty." The Lounge opened in the 1960’s, and was a popular hangout for the black gay community, as well as welcoming to anyone else who came in. Today, it is popular with both new and old clientele, with dance parties and karaoke nights. The owners are now circulating a petition to have the building and the bar landmarked, to protect it from demolition, and to preserve the Starlight. Information and discussion can be found on the Brooklynian, and more history can be found here.
Brooklyn's Oldest Gay Bar May Close[Gothamist]
Community Petition For Landmark Status[Brooklynian]
Photo:outaboutbrooklyn.com.
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By Montrose Morris at December 30, 2009 10:30 AM | Comments (41)

41 Comments

By daveinbedstuy on December 30, 2009 10:37 AM

No lease????

By daveinbedstuy on December 30, 2009 10:38 AM

We could use a good bar near me in bed Stuy...ANY kind of bar.

By Butterfly on December 30, 2009 10:40 AM

quote:
Tim Leviticus

LOL!

*rob*

By InsertSnappyNameHere on December 30, 2009 10:43 AM

Rob, I think we should go there one night.

By jessibaby on December 30, 2009 10:53 AM

What sort of landmark designation are they looking for? Not sure how that would work. You can landmark an exterior, you can landmark an interior, but you can't landmark "a business."

By Heather on December 30, 2009 10:53 AM

Have a brownstoner meet up there. A place named the Starlight Lounge sounds like it would make a mean brandy alexander and that is a good thing.

By Crownlfc on December 30, 2009 10:56 AM

Passed by this place for years - never knoew it was a gay bar. It always seemed empty, I guess I didn't go late enough. Unless this is as important as Stonewall, landmarking it is a bit of overkill.

By Butterfly on December 30, 2009 10:56 AM

snappy we should!!!

*rob*

By bxgrl on December 30, 2009 10:57 AM

It would be really sad to lose the Starlight. Its an important part of the history of the neighborhood, one that is rarely heard about.

By Montrose Morris on December 30, 2009 10:59 AM

Jessi, I know. The building, in of itself, really isn't landmark worthy, either, to be honest. I do hope they can keep their space, or at worst, move nearby. They really are an institution. If anyone wants to go, I'm in. I don't do bars too often, so I've never been there.

By bxgrl on December 30, 2009 11:00 AM

It would be really sad to lose the Starlight. Its an important part of the history of the neighborhood, one that is rarely heard about.

They should set up an official petition on one of the sites that creates them.

By bxgrl on December 30, 2009 11:01 AM

Me too- I'll go!

By Petebklyn on December 30, 2009 11:02 AM

if going let me know.
No comment on bar manager's name being Leviticus?

By jessibaby on December 30, 2009 11:02 AM

I'd love to go, you know me and the karaoke! Would MM take the mic?

By benson on December 30, 2009 11:03 AM

I would rather have the next Brownstoner meet-up in the El Caribe in Mill Basin.

How about some true diversity - seeing the other parts of the borough!

By bxgrl on December 30, 2009 11:12 AM

Going to Crown Heights North would be a mark of TRUE diversity. there hasn't been a meet up here yet.

By InsertSnappyNameHere on December 30, 2009 11:17 AM

What night do they do karaoke there? I think we need to go show this place some B'Stoner luv.

By bxgrl on December 30, 2009 11:20 AM

And we need to get hold of Won Ton!

By Brenda from Flatbush on December 30, 2009 11:35 AM

The first thing that occurred to me is that Crown Heights, labeled in the public memory as the Orthodoxim-vs-Black Smackdown Locale, must be a more tolerant precinct than either community is given credit for, if an old-school gay bar has thrived there in peace for as long as that neon sign would intimate. Hope it survives; it must have some great stories to tell.

By herkimermaid on December 30, 2009 11:47 AM

First off, Montrose, fabulous job this week with interesting posts and great discussions! I've really enjoyed B'stoner this week. And thanks also for posting this about the Starlight. I've certainly noticed it but didn't know anything about it. I'll definitely keep my eye out for petitions, etc. Will also keep my eye out for a potential gathering there (and the Mill Basin place that Benson rec'd, too, another time)!

By CGar on December 30, 2009 12:55 PM

-Rob, I think we should go there one night.
-snappy we should!!!
-If anyone wants to go, I'm in.
-Me too- I'll go!
-if going let me know.
-I'd love to go, you know me and the karaoke! Would MM take the mic?
-Will also keep my eye out for a potential gathering there

Snappy, *rob*, MM, bxgrl, Pete, jessi, herkimer. Well, it sounds like we have a quorum for a karaoke "outing" there. I will sing showtunes, but ONLY if Montrose sings with me!!Winthropst is in, too - he actually suggested going there when we were at Sycamore.

By Montrose Morris on December 30, 2009 1:42 PM

I think I remember that Snappy HATES show tunes. In any case, I'm in. CGar, can you see us bellowing "My Way" at the top of our lungs? I'll need a lot of Appleton's for that.

By InsertSnappyNameHere on December 30, 2009 1:45 PM

MM, I do hate showtunes, but after 3 drinks, I may be willing to sing along :-)

By Arkady on December 30, 2009 1:46 PM

I'm in.

By CGar on December 30, 2009 1:47 PM

MM, we'll drink first, sing later, naturally!! You do recall our karaoke pact after Ellis, right?

By Montrose Morris on December 30, 2009 2:00 PM

I think I'll need to drop by and warn them. Also find out when karaoke night is.

By northflatbushgirl on December 30, 2009 2:20 PM

I will bring the "poppers".

By bxgrl on December 30, 2009 2:47 PM

I'm debating if I should wear my hearing aid that night or not ;)

By denton on December 30, 2009 3:23 PM

Six women going to a GAY bar? rob, maybe you can bring your black barbie again.

By InsertSnappyNameHere on December 30, 2009 3:24 PM

LOL Bxgirl...unless Wonton is singing, I'd say leave it at home!

By JoeBushwick on December 30, 2009 3:28 PM

Buildings can be landmarked due to their historic significance even if they are not architecturally all that interesting. An example would be landmarking a building where someone famous lived or where an important historic event took place. Unfortunately, the oldest gay bar in Brooklyn probably would not meet this standard.

By InsertSnappyNameHere on December 30, 2009 3:29 PM

Denton, he never got the barbie back! I could bring Mini Snappy and Mini Snappy Part Deux, but if someone takes them, I'm goin' to jail cause then it'll be time to fight!

By Butterfly on December 30, 2009 3:45 PM

i still have that ginormous collection of superhero figures i found a while back... i could make cutesy lil drag outfits for them and hand them out

*rob*

By bxgrl on December 30, 2009 3:51 PM

rob- I thought you sold them. I love those things. Can I have a few? I'll put them with my burger king gargoyle toys and the M & M Valentine Cherub.

By Violet on December 30, 2009 4:26 PM

Karaoke is generally on Thursday nights. But this Thursday (the 31st) is a special party, "Where 2009 goes out & 2010 goes in."

Here is the website
http://starlitelounge.piczo.com/?g=1&cr=7

By InsertSnappyNameHere on December 30, 2009 4:40 PM

Thanks, Violet!

By jessibaby on December 30, 2009 4:59 PM

Buildings can be landmarked due to their historic significance even if they are not architecturally all that interesting. An example would be landmarking a building where someone famous lived or where an important historic event took place. Unfortunately, the oldest gay bar in Brooklyn probably would not meet this standard.

Posted by: JoeBushwick at December 30, 2009 3:28 PM

Joe, while landmarking the building would prevent it from being demolished, landmarking wouldn't require the owner to keep the tenant in place.

By Petebklyn on December 30, 2009 6:29 PM

good, a thursday would be good....

By snowboardqueen on December 31, 2009 3:16 PM

A Gay bar opening in a conservative working class, homophobic neighborhood in the 60's.., please landmark it!!!

The building may not be a beauty, but the history. From what I could get out the Manager, the bar had an even more colorful owner, Jewish and/or Irish mob type, in the late 50's or early 60's before it became Starlite.

If Starlite's walls could talk.., oh what a story she could tell!

By HomeSweetstuy on January 3, 2010 7:50 PM

I would love to attend a party at starlite--have always wanted to go

By Melissa Cee on February 1, 2010 8:19 PM

Stop the Eviction of Starlite Lounge -- 50 year old Black-Owned Safe Haven
When: Tues 2/2/10 1pm
Where: 1080 Bergen between Rogers & Nostrand; Brooklyn, New York


For Immediate Release:

Contact: Debra A. Griffin- Daza
The Damon S. Allen Foundation Against Violence
debbieg.griffindaza@gmail.com
347-369-8894

The Damon S. Allen Foundation Against Violence, in collaboration with community groups and residents of Crown Heights, will host a press conference protesting the eviction of the historic Starlite Lounge, the oldest Black-owned, non-discriminating pub in Brooklyn, on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 1:00 PM outside of Arthur Brown Funeral Home, located at 1080 Bergen Street between Nostrand and Rogers Avenues. For the last five decades the Starlite Lounge has been a safe haven to members of our community and a space of significant historical relevance for New York City residents. This incredible run in Crown Heights is now being threatened as Starlite was served with eviction papers last week without being given an opportunity to negotiate with the building's owners. The proposed closing has brought people together to fight against this unfair eviction of an openly gay-friendly establishment in the heart of Brooklyn. At the press conference, we will challenge Arthur Brown Funeral Home and Century Twenty-One Real Estate's unwarranted eviction of this historic business. Concerned citizens and local elected officials are expected to attend to show support for the establishment.


New York Times Article on Starlite Lounge
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/23/nyregion/23bigcity.html?ref=nyregion

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