MPR’s Kate Williams profiles Sutton’s, a gay bar in downtown Minneapolis that relocated to a more prominent location. Sutton’s has been around for over a decade but it officially came out of the closet last week when it opened its doors to over 800 people at a new location…the old Elk’s Club on 5th street in downtown Minneapolis.
Sutton’s has gained a reputation for being the largest gay bar in the Midwest. The old bar was tucked away on a dimly lit downtown street near the warehouse district. There was no illuminated name over the door, nor were there any of the traditional beer signs. For a long time, gay people had been cautious about openly admitting their gayness, so they’ve liked the fact they could come and go to Sutton Place without being seen. Things began to change in 1974, when the Minneapolis gay rights ordinance was passed, preventing discrimination against people because of their affectional preferences (for example, The law makes it legal for gays to hold hands and dance in public).
Transcripts
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(SINGING) Ain't nobody straight in LA
It seems that everybody is gay
Homosexuality--
KATE WILLIAMS: Sutton's gay bar has been around for over a decade. But it officially came out of the closet last week when it opened its doors to over 800 people at a new location, the old Elk's Club on 5th street in downtown Minneapolis. And the bar has already gained the reputation for being the largest gay bar in the Midwest.
The old bar was tucked away on a dimly lit downtown street near the Warehouse District. There was no illuminated name over the door, nor were there any of the traditional beer signs. For a long time, gay people have been uptight about openly admitting their gayness. So they like the fact that they could come and go to Sutton's without being seen.
CHET DAX: I used to date quite a bit in college. And I'd go out with some lovely girls and have dinner and go to a movie, spend a very nice evening together. And I'd start getting antsy around 11 o'clock.
I'd be looking at my watch knowing that things were beginning to get going at the bar. And I were-- finagle out of it some way and put in an appearance late like everybody else. Now people are a lot more forward about their social and sexual lives. And I think that this bar opening like this at this time is a great parallel to what's going on in society today, that people are becoming a lot more upfront and a lot more forward.
KATE WILLIAMS: Chet Dax, Sutton's architect.
(SINGING) Almost everyone is a CEC
Bisexuals on a loving spree.
KATE WILLIAMS: It wasn't until 1974 that the Minneapolis gay rights ordinance was passed, which prevents discrimination against people because of their affectional preferences. This law makes it legal for gays to hold hands and dance in public. But Ernie Pesis, owner of Suttons, said the boys have been dancing at his place for 10 years.
He said the police didn't care. It was the non-gay or straight people that he had the most trouble with. He said some straights used to park in vans across the street from his bar and try to take pictures of the gays as they left, and then try to blackmail them. But things are a little different now.
ERNIE PESIS: The crowd today are more or less-- everybody is accepting everybody a lot better than they did, let's say, 10 years ago. See, people are more-- well, I think they're more wide awake today. I think people understand better today than they did 10 years ago. I think we were all a little harder 10 years ago.
Today we realize and we recognize that-- and I see now-- I see straight people come in, even Suttons. The old Suttons. I've seen straight people come in, enjoy themselves, have a nice time, and mix with the gay crowd. And 10 years ago, you wouldn't see this. Today I see no problem, whatever.
KATE WILLIAMS: The carpenters had not finished tacking down all the carpet when the disco doors open. Their toolboxes acted as part of the decor. But that didn't stop people from kicking up their heels on the stainless steel dance floor or downing drinks that were two for the price of one.
The nearly 800 people felt like 1,500. The air conditioning wasn't working. And everybody was hot, wet and sweaty. But they didn't care.
They were out to see and be seen. Well, we're just upstairs. What did you think about the new bar?
SPEAKER 1: It's out of the ordinary. Extremely over classy, which is what Minneapolis needs.
SPEAKER 2: Oh, I think it's fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.
SPEAKER 3: Well, this is the place where I grew up. What can I say? I grew up at Suttons. They moved and they found me a new home. It's all here. And this is it.
KATE WILLIAMS: A lot of your friends here?
SPEAKER 4: Yes. Many, many, many. They were all been looking at my star.
KATE WILLIAMS: Are those diamonds down there?
SPEAKER 4: Yes.
KATE WILLIAMS: They're color-coordinated. All in green. What's that say on your T-shirt?
SPEAKER 4: It says Crystal Girls Softball.
KATE WILLIAMS: Do you play for that team?
SPEAKER 4: Yes.
SPEAKER 5: Well, I think for once, the Twin Cities has a gay bar that a lot of people come and relate to that no longer is the sleazy meat market type place that has long too been-- has-- it's been too long affiliated with being gay bars as being a real meat market. And I think that the new Sutton place will break that.
SPEAKER 6: We're talking philosophy.
SPEAKER 5: This is a fabulous place.
SPEAKER 6: Is it?
SPEAKER 5: Finally for the--
SPEAKER 6: Marvelous--
SPEAKER 5: They've given us--
SPEAKER 6: Minneapolis is very progressive. I'll vote for mayor-- what's his name again?
SPEAKER 5: I don't know. But what I'm trying to say is that for a long time, I've always wanted a nice place to go to that you can dress up and go out and enjoy yourself among a good class of people than having a shabby building to go and crawl in the party.
KATE WILLIAMS: Even though there are several other gay bars in Minneapolis, Ernie Pesis doesn't think he will have trouble keeping this bar full. According to Pesis's manager, at least 17% of the city's population is gay. And he says the new bar will help more people come out of their closets.
Pesis says his bar is for both gay and straight people to enjoy. And he's got five new halfback bouncers to make sure everything will work out. This is Kate Williams.
(SINGING) Wait a minute. Wait a minute, Bill, that place you took me the other night
Yeah
Hey, wait a minute, man. That's a gay bar
Hey, man, ain't nothing but gay bars in Los Angeles
Yeah, Bill, that might be true but, you know, some of the the finest women are in the gay bar
Hey, but dig, Bob. How do you know they women?
Hey, man, look. Well, look, gay people are nice people too