Social Distancing Shuts Down HIV Hotspot

From San Francisco comes this news that reminds us that the recent pandemic may result in some good after all, 

"According to a press release sent out late Wednesday by Honey Mahognay, The Stud (399 9th Street in SoMa), SF’s oldest Gay Bar dating back to 1966 is shutting down. 

The bar is the country’s only cooperatively owned LGBT venue and has been in operation for 54 years. The Stud was originally located on Folsom where Holy Cow is now. In 1987 the bar moved to 9th Street where it’s been for 33 years. 

Because of a lack of revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an uncertain future operating at 25% or 50% capacity under anticipated social distancing rules, the historic bar announced that they are permanently closing their location and will be holding a drag funeral to honor the end of an era of LGBT nightlife. 

But this isn’t the end (we hope) for The Stud. The owners have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help them in their search for a new venue so they can regroup for the next year or so. And, when the time is right, drag themselves back to become a beacon again for queer nightlife at their soon-to-be third location in San Francisco."

It is a well known fact that the early Gay bars were hotbeds of HIV transmission at the beginning of that epidemic, so don't shed any tears for the demise of The Stud.