Texas Tavern

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The Texas was a rough and dirty bar for lesbians in the early 70s. In order to get access, you had to enter the straight bar below, described as a biker bar by some, then go up a flight of stairs to a door with one of those sliding peep holes built into it. If the owner thought you looked safe, you'd be allowed to enter. 

Marie Roberston speaks fondly of the bar and the edge and sexual chemistry that came from being such an underground space. However, she acknowledges like most lesbian bars at the time, it was in a dangerous neighbourhood and you needed to be really careful entering and leaving the bar, especially as you couldn't help but be noticed by the straight patrons of the bar downstairs. Along with the Coral Reef, the Texas was one of the few options at all for women to meet and mingle.

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