Clementina's Baybrick
Lesbian bar in San Francisco, California (1982–1987)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clementina's Baybrick, was a lesbian bar, dance club, and hostel in operation from September 1982 to October 1987 in the SoMA neighborhood at 1190 Folsom Street in San Francisco, California.[1][2][3] It went by many name variations, including Clementina's Baybrick Inn, Clementina's Bay Brick Inn, The Baybrick, The Bay Brick, and The Brick.
San Francisco, California, U.S.
| Clementina's Baybrick | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Clementina's Baybrick | |
| Location | 1190 Folsom Street, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 37.775368°N 122.409917°W |
| Active dates | September 1982 – October 4, 1987 |
Since 1993, the former Clementina's Baybrick space is known as the Cat Club.[1][4]
History
The building is located in part of the historic Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District;[5] and was the former location of The Waiting Arms / Earthquake Ethel's (1974), The Hungry Hole (1976–1977), and Brown's Pub (1980–1983).[5] Clementina's was a bar and dance club, and it was inside the basement of the Baybrick Inn building, a hotel.[2] Clementina's was named after the alley it was near.[1] Lauren Hewitt was the owner and manager,[3][6] she also was a co-organizer of the Gay/Lesbian Freedom Band Festival, and helped plan the 1984 Folsom Street Fair.
Clementina's Baybrick hosted a variety of entertainment events including comedy open mic nights, cabaret nights, a variety of musical performances, dance parties, tea dances, and lesbian-centered strip shows.[3] On October 23, 1983, the Asian Women's Group (AWG) sponsored a dance event, "A Sunday Bash" which was attended by some 125 women.[7] Les Nickelettes, a feminist satirical performance art troupe had a six-week run (around 1983) during the Clementina's Baybrick Wednesday night cabaret series.[2]
The hostel/inn portion closed in 1984.[3] The bar and dance club closed on October 4, 1987.[3]
The GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco holds the archive of records for Clementina's Baybrick.[6]
