Backstreet moves to Corktown

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · June-23-10, 11:10 AM

From the current Model D:

"Detroit's oldest neighborhood, Corktown, continues to evolve, and Model D is here to report a few recent changes.

* Backstreet, a staple of Detroit's West Side gay scene since 1979, has moved into the area, taking over the space most recently occupied by The Works at 1846 Michigan Ave. at Rosa Parks. Cover is typically $5 before midnight and $10 after; it's always $10 for ages 18 to 20."

Could Corktown or Woodbridge become a gayborhood? I know this topic has been discussed before, but it would be nice for a few of the gay bars/clubs to cluster somewhat together.

**Danny** · June-23-10, 11:18 AM

Backstreet should have move to Ferndale. Plenty of homosexuals there.

**SaintMe** · June-23-10, 11:32 AM

I just don't see the city of Detroit having a gayborhood again. As liberal as it may vote, it doesn't seem all that progressive. I mean I like Detroit, but I'm not going to walk down Oakman holding hands with my boyfriend.

Also this is kind of a downer. Backstreet is just moving to a different [[smaller?) venue, and is replacing a club that already had a decent gay presence. The Works wasn't really my favorite place, but it was fun enough.

**exmotowner** · June-23-10, 11:39 AM

Detroit will never have a prodominent gay neighborhood again as long as the crime and discrimination are still in place. I don't ever see that happening. IMO

**English** · June-23-10, 11:42 AM

^ I disagree. Attitudes are changing in the African American community about the GLBT issue. Even in CA, most black folks under 35 voted down the anti-marriage equality measure. In another 10 years, once all the Millennials in the D have come of age, it just won't be the issue that it has been for the traditional church hat and raised fist crowd. Old people don't stay in power forever, and young people who choose to follow "the old ways" tend to be self-destructive [[see: KMK).

It's a new century even in Detroit. I could see either Woodbridge or Corktown becoming vibrant again thanks to gay families and the creative class. Only ignorant people would rather see a neighborhood crumble than for it to thrive.

**casscorridor** · June-23-10, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Backstreet should have move to Ferndale. Plenty of homosexuals there.

Haha. Not sure if you have noticed, but Ferndale is on the decline in terms of gays living there. Corktown especially is on the rise. Along with Eastern Market and Woodbridge. It might not be that concentrated, but I'm pretty sure there are already more gays living in central Detroit than in Ferndale. They desire the kind of urban living that Ferndale can't provide. Ferndale is suburban living with an urban mindset, and a semi-urban strip along 9 Mile. Not exactly an urban neighborhood like Corktown.

Now I'm just waiting on Affirmations' move to Midtown. LOL

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · June-23-10, 01:56 PM

I guess that a true "gayborhood" is overeaching. But it would be nice for the city to have an area with more visible gay presence.

**kryptonite** · June-23-10, 02:10 PM

I was living in Palmer Park when everything went to crap and the crime rate skyrocketed. People left Palmer Park and neighboring Detroit/Highland Park areas in droves. Over the years the gay clubs on Six Mile, Woodward, and Seven Mile came and went. The peak might have been when Backstage/Footlights, Tiffany's and Salute all created a fairly nice environment on Woodward. Following the Backstage fire that ended. There are no clubs any longer on Seven Mile, only La Dolce Vita is left on Woodward and only Menjos is left on Six Mile.

Too many people have awful memories of the anti-gay racism and horrible crime in the Woodward/Six Mile area to want to move back in to the city.

Maybe that will change with time but for now I think the gay population will remain decentralized throughout the metro area.

**Danny** · June-23-10, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by exmotowner

Detroit will never have a prodominent gay neighborhood again as long as the crime and discrimination are still in place. I don't ever see that happening. IMO

I agree, It's all about RACE POWER!

**casscorridor** · June-23-10, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by kryptonite

I was living in Palmer Park when everything went to crap and the crime rate skyrocketed. People left Palmer Park and neighboring Detroit/Highland Park areas in droves. Over the years the gay clubs on Six Mile, Woodward, and Seven Mile came and went. The peak might have been when Backstage/Footlights, Tiffany's and Salute all created a fairly nice environment on Woodward. Following the Backstage fire that ended. There are no clubs any longer on Seven Mile, only La Dolce Vita is left on Woodward and only Menjos is left on Six Mile.

Too many people have awful memories of the anti-gay racism and horrible crime in the Woodward/Six Mile area to want to move back in to the city.

Maybe that will change with time but for now I think the gay population will remain decentralized throughout the metro area.

Perhaps. But I think the heterosexism/homophobia is something the generation that is coming of age has moved away from. We are the most tolerate generation in history. And there is a great interest among this generation in Detroit. Plus with increased concentration of just about everything in Midtown and other central city neighborhoods I don't see why we wouldn't see concentration of the LGBTQ community as well.

Ferndale still remains the center of the community, but it could change rather quickly. And there is no reason why there can't be multiple "centers" of activity, like in NYC.

Also, not all LGBTQ people want to live in a concentrated place, but I would assume most want to live in a safe place [[as in safe for queer people). Woodbridge is that type of place, and so is Corktown, Midtown, Downtown and Eastern Market, and that is where many are moving.

ferntruth · June-23-10, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by casscorridor

Haha. Not sure if you have noticed, but Ferndale is on the decline in terms of gays living there. Corktown especially is on the rise. Along with Eastern Market and Woodbridge. It might not be that concentrated, but I'm pretty sure there are already more gays living in central Detroit than in Ferndale. They desire the kind of urban living that Ferndale can't provide. Ferndale is suburban living with an urban mindset, and a semi-urban strip along 9 Mile. Not exactly an urban neighborhood like Corktown.

Now I'm just waiting on Affirmations' move to Midtown. LOL

Your typical anti-suburb crap again I see. Well, you are predictable, I will give you that.
Those of us who actually live in Ferndale can tell you that the Gay community in Ferndale is GROWING, not DECLINING. Several new businesses have opened in the area, and I have several new Gay households on my street alone.

**EastsideAl** · June-23-10, 04:13 PM

Still, it would be very nice to have a significant and visible gay presence back in Detroit again, along with the businesses, income, and neighborhood improvements such a presence usually brings. I can see it a little bit in Indian Village and the West Village, which have always had a quiet but notable gay presence, where several new gay folks have moved in in the past couple of years. Particularly notable is a growing presence of middle-class gay African-Americans. The kind of memories that Kryptonite is going on about are pretty meaningless to them, and indeed to anyone of any race much under the age of 50.

Bearinabox · June-23-10, 04:18 PM

What happened to The Works? They used to book some good Detroit techno acts.

**Joseph C. Krause** · June-23-10, 05:26 PM

There is a significant gay presence on the East side of Corktown where I live with my partner.

**detroitsgwenivere** · June-23-10, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Joseph C. Krause

There is a significant gay presence on the East side of Corktown where I live with my partner.

Really? Then how come they don't come to the CRC meetings? We would love to have em.

**bailey** · June-24-10, 02:11 PM

* Backstreet, a staple of Detroit's West Side gay scene since 1979, has moved into the area, taking over the space most recently occupied by The Works at 1846 Michigan Ave. at Rosa Parks. Cover is typically $5 before midnight and $10 after; it's always $10 for ages 18 to 20."

Wasn't Backstreet downtown for a while in the late 90s/early 2000s?

**adamjab19** · June-25-10, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by Bearinabox

What happened to The Works? They used to book some good Detroit techno acts.

The works was a shit hole. VERY shady crowd the times I was there and the artists that play there will tell you about how crappy the equipment was. Backstreet I guess has already fixed up the place a bit.

**bailey** · June-25-10, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by adamjab19

The works was a shit hole. VERY shady crowd the times I was there and the artists that play there will tell you about how crappy the equipment was. Backstreet I guess has already fixed up the place a bit.

oh c'mon, the sketchiness of the place was half the charm.

**adamjab19** · June-25-10, 07:10 PM

well sure any place open after 3am is gonna have some skeezy people but this was just a touch too much for my 'acceptable skeez level' level.

**Al Publican** · June-30-10, 08:52 AM

Does Michigan and Rosa Parks qualify as being in Corktown? Sounds rather fringe to me. And no, that's not a pun but it could be.

**bailey** · June-30-10, 09:04 AM

Does Michigan and Rosa Parks qualify as being in Corktown? Sounds rather fringe to me. And no, that's not a pun but it could be.

Rosa Parks is the border of what is traditionally corktown iirc. Backstreet/Works is south of 75 and east of RP, so it's in the corner, but there. But does it really matter? If people say Slows is in Corktown... the Works definitely was.

**Islandman** · June-30-10, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

oh c'mon, the sketchiness of the place was half the charm.

Exactly.

**bailey** · November-08-10, 01:56 PM

just wondering if this ever happened. Have been by there a few times and the place looked closed. That was a pretty quick failure.

Bearinabox · November-08-10, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

just wondering if this ever happened. Have been by there a few times and the place looked closed. That was a pretty quick failure.

They still have techno there, and as far as I can tell it's still called the Works. It's been redone inside and the layout is completely different, but I don't know what happened with the Backstreet thing.