Bar at 7 Mile and Woodward

**Detroitgayhistoryguy** · September-08-09, 08:20 PM

There was a bar at 7 and Woodward called the 7-Wood bar and later it became the Gas Station bar. It has been torn down and now there is a McDonald's there. Would anyone have a old photo of this bar?

Thanks

http://detroitgayhistory.blogspot.com/

**cmubryan** · September-08-09, 09:45 PM

What about Backstage Restaurant/Deli/Bar in that area?

**Detroitgayhistoryguy** · September-08-09, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by cmubryan

What about Backstage Restaurant/Deli/Bar in that area?

That was further south. I need pictures of that also.

http://detroitgayhistory.blogspot.com/

**jhartmich** · September-09-09, 09:05 AM

Damn...I loved the Gas Station! That was the best bar for a VERY long time. Before it closed they had another bar upstairs called Heaven, it was dark, scarry, but fun.

**pkbroch** · September-09-09, 01:23 PM

There was another bar at Seven Mile and Woodward. It was one block north of Seven it had a Semi Truck front in the Bar and was called the E-Ramp. Good guys owned it.

**n7hn** · September-09-09, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by cmubryan

What about Backstage Restaurant/Deli/Bar in that area?

actually the original [[tiny tiny) "backstage" was on seven mile, just e of woodward, it got furthur south [[on woodward) when they took over the old "paradiso" sometime in the early 80"s.

**trstar** · September-09-09, 05:38 PM

Wasn't that call the 19th hole, or something?

**Detroitgayhistoryguy** · September-09-09, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by n7hn

actually the original [[tiny tiny) "backstage" was on seven mile, just e of woodward, it got furthur south [[on woodward) when they took over the old "paradiso" sometime in the early 80"s.

Peter Mel says he opened Backstage in 1978 [[See this http://www.petesbroadwaycafe.com/press_focus.php?p=9)

So, your saying that Backstage was called Paradiso before Peter bought it?

Thanks

http://detroitgayhistory.blogspot.com/

**Detroitgayhistoryguy** · September-09-09, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by pkbroch

There was another bar at Seven Mile and Woodward. It was one block north of Seven it had a Semi Truck front in the Bar and was called the E-Ramp. Good guys owned it.

Hi, can you go to my website and post any stories about the E-ramp? I don't really have anything on that bar. I knew about the semi truck, but that's it. You'll find a post about the E-ramp, just click "comments" and tell what you remember about the place.

=======> http://detroitgayhistory.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

**jerrytimes** · September-09-09, 10:13 PM

Detroit gay history? Why do you seperate that from just plain old Detroit history? Just askin.

**Detroitgayhistoryguy** · September-09-09, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by jerrytimes

Detroit gay history? Why do you seperate that from just plain old Detroit history? Just askin.

Because there are allot of old gay bars that have been closed for years. I just want to know what they were like and maybe someone has old photos. I also want to know what it was like for a gay person living in Detroit in the 1930's and 40s.

http://detroitgayhistory.blogspot.com/

**EastsideAl** · September-10-09, 03:38 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitgayhistoryguy

Peter Mel says he opened Backstage in 1978 [[See this http://www.petesbroadwaycafe.com/press_focus.php?p=9)

So, your saying that Backstage was called Paradiso before Peter bought it?

Thanks

http://detroitgayhistory.blogspot.com/

The Paradiso, in the building that later contained the Backstage, was a very well-known and quite upscale Italian restaurant that operated for several decades into the '70s.

**Jman** · September-10-09, 06:36 AM

Was the 7-Wood/ Gas Station bar known as the Sand Bar prior to the 70's?

**Baselinepunk** · September-10-09, 10:13 AM

"So, your saying that Backstage was called Paradiso before Peter bought it?"

--"The Paradiso, in the building that later contained the Backstage, was a very well-known and quite upscale Italian restaurant that operated for several decades into the '70s."

Further support. The Paradiso was on Woodard between West Longwood and [[I think) West Elmhurst. I grew up right down the street from it. There's [[was) a coin laundry mat there now. There was a fire there one time, I can't remember right now if it was before or after the place was sold to become the Backstage.

**Detroitgayhistoryguy** · September-10-09, 11:19 AM

I know Pardiso became Backstage, the addresses match. It burned when it was Backstage, I was inside when it burned.

http://detroitgayhistory.blogspot.com/

**douglasm** · September-10-09, 03:19 PM

After Vanelli's went down hill, The Paradiso was THE place my folks went when they wanted a fancy dinner out. Last time I ate there was a "farewell" dinner in January of '73 before I moved to Colorado.

Memory says that the building was the second one on the site. Anyone remember what happened to the original Paradiso Cafe building?

**Detroitgayhistoryguy** · September-11-09, 04:52 AM

Originally Posted by douglasm

After Vanelli's went down hill, The Paradiso was THE place my folks went when they wanted a fancy dinner out. Last time I ate there was a "farewell" dinner in January of '73 before I moved to Colorado.

Memory says that the building was the second one on the site. Anyone remember what happened to the original Paradiso Cafe building?

I don't know, the Backstage building I remember was old, that is why it burned down so quickly.

http://detroitgayhistory.blogspot.com/

**Lafleur** · September-11-09, 10:08 AM

I think of Heaven every time I drive by that spot. I would frequently go to the Saturday night afterhours parties there. It was a bit scary, but an amazing place. Full of drag queens dancing on the bass bins to the legenday Ken Colier dj'ing. I was told at some poit that it was the longest running afterhours in the area. For a short time before it's demise, there was a bar called "Hell" on the main floor.

**kryptonite** · September-11-09, 03:03 PM

I read in Metro Times years ago that Courtney Love stopped in to Club Hell [[i think that was the name) after performing somewhere in Detroit.

The Gas Station was excellent, they had hubcaps covering the walls and lighten gas pumps behind the bar. It was a crazy place and definitely had a unique style you would not forget.

**n7hn** · September-11-09, 03:12 PM

someone ought to burn down GiGi's on warren....talk about a crap hole. I imagine its still there in all its glory[[hole) . That was the first bar i ever went to when I was 17, i found out about it from my mom......... my mom needs to hit better places. Not a very nice intro to gay life and the people you can expect to meet.

A short lived club was the one behind the "health club" on 8 mile. They added the club which had a pool and 8 for one drinks,,,,,,, way more drinks for the price of one, if u didnt mind drinking alone that is. I cant remember ever seeing anyone but me and the bartender there

the first backstage must have seated 15. It was right on seven mile off woodward in one of the buildings adjacent to the gas station , then they quickly outgrew that site and bought the paradiso and moved in. I worked there for a short period of time right after the move. Couldnt take the cheap bitchy drunken queens

**kryptonite** · September-11-09, 03:40 PM

n7hn, I know what you mean. Some bars had such attitude and arrogance I avoided them. There is a contingency of gays that honestly believe they are better than the average person.

But some hangouts were pretty well free of that attitude - The Other Side was very diverse and down to earth [[in my opinion), Tiffany's also, the Gas Station, The Deck, etc. Anyone could go to those types of clubs and feel comfortable and not out-classed.

**bailey** · September-11-09, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by n7hn

someone ought to burn down GiGi's on warren....talk about a crap hole. I imagine its still there in all its glory[[hole) . That was the first bar i ever went to when I was 17, i found out about it from my mom......... my mom needs to hit better places. Not a very nice intro to gay life and the people you can expect to meet.

A short lived club was the one behind the "health club" on 8 mile. They added the club which had a pool and 8 for one drinks,,,,,,, way more drinks for the price of one, if u didnt mind drinking alone that is. I cant remember ever seeing anyone but me and the bartender there

the first backstage must have seated 15. It was right on seven mile off woodward in one of the buildings adjacent to the gas station , then they quickly outgrew that site and bought the paradiso and moved in. I worked there for a short period of time right after the move. Couldnt take the cheap bitchy drunken queens

Is the lack of quality gay bars a reflection of a lack of quality gays...or has the gay community by and large moved past gay bars in general around here?

**Onthe405** · September-11-09, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by n7hn

A short lived club was the one behind the "health club" on 8 mile. They added the club which had a pool and 8 for one drinks,,,,,,, way more drinks for the price of one, if u didnt mind drinking alone that is. I cant remember ever seeing anyone but me and the bartender there

I believe that was "Club TNT". That property was originally built as a private Jewish men's health club. It eventually devolved into gay bath house [[oy vey), then a bar with the bath house portion closed. You're right. It was dead and very short-lived, although the DJ/music wasn't half bad. They even tried the promo of giving away a free bottle of poppers upon entrance, but that obviously didn't do the trick.

The same club then continued to devolve as the "exclusive" Cheeks, where all of the chic trend-setters of metro Detroit would rub elbows and bump booties. Keep in mind, this was 4 or 5 years after the heyday of Studio 54. Bad concept. Bad place. Bad timing. It failed shortly thereafter.

**6nois** · September-11-09, 03:50 PM

I think the lack of quality gay bars has more to do with the fact that largely there has been a movement past the traditional gay bar movement because the movement for whatever reason did not move forward in Detroit, this may possibly be an economic thing coupled with midwestern lifestyles coupled with security concerns I have no idea though. No matter other cities you can enjoy a pleasantly designed atmosphere with windows that go floor to ceiling. Not so in Detroit you have to go to old school in the closet bars with a certain dirty charm. Don't get me wrong I love that atmosphere to I enjoy a good night at the R and R or the Eagle or even an occasional jaunt to Menjos, but evidently we can't have nice things here. Or if we do Soho and Pronto they are full of ice queens and drama and not all that grand decor.

**kryptonite** · September-11-09, 03:54 PM

The bigger the city, the more some bars specialize in specifiied clientele: black clubs, lesbian bars, leather bars, country/western, dance clubs, drag bars, etc.

Some bars make an effort to not specialize and instead attract a diverse group and they somehow achieve that goal and become a sort of gathering spot for anyone that cares to go there.