In November, Metro Boyztown & the Rekroom celebrated its 15 year anniversary. A private club, it is open to members of guests and caters to Calgary’s gay community. Recently Gaycalgary.com sat down with owners Ken Annebo, Kevin Bateman and Ellie Brewer to discuss their role in the community, the bar, and how the gay life in Calgary has changed since they opened.
It’s Metro Boyztown’s & the Rekroom’s 15th Anniversary. Give us a bit of history about how the club came together.
Annebo: A group of us got together and felt that there was a need for a new bar in town, and that was pretty much the beginning.
You are still here while a number of clubs in Calgary, both gay and straight, haven’t been as successful and have closed their doors; Boyztown and Detour are still thriving. How do you feel about the club scene and what is your secret to success?
Bateman: It’s not as much of a big deal to go to a gay or mixed bar anymore. You can go anywhere and see gay people mixing with straight people in any establishment. We offer something unique for our members and their guests; other clubs do the same thing.
What changes have you seen over the years in the gay community?
Annebo: The city has grown and expanded so much, and the larger a city gets, the more diversified it, and especially the gay community, gets. There are a ton of gay organizations, from gay parents to religious organizations and sports leagues, that have blossomed and flourished because the population has warranted that. We have been fortunate to be here for 15 years; I think we fill a niche in the community, other bars fill theirs. There is always room to grow and expand, and hopefully in the future, there will be more exciting things happening in Calgary for the gay community.
Brewer: There’s been a demand by the community to establish some other interests and points of reference besides clubs, which is why organizations have done so well. People are enjoying other social activities aside from coming to the nightclub, such as the sports and university groups, which are quite popular. It is always important to have different social avenues for people to meet. We try and support these groups as much as possible and open up our doors for them to do fund raising and as a meeting place.
How have you seen the clientele change?
Brewer: (laughing) We’ve all gotten older!
Annebo: It’s a cycle. As Calgary changes so does the club scene. A lot of older guys have left the city, moved on to different scenes or settled down with family or careers. But there always seems to be a fresh crop of new young kids that come out to enjoy the music and the atmosphere.
Boyztown has special events such as Charity Pool Tournaments, meet and greets for Apollo and ARGRA events, Amateur Strip, Hot Butt and the Sunday Drag Shows. How did you come up with the ideas for these, and how would you rate their success?
Bateman: We are continually throwing ideas back and forth. There is no such thing as a bad idea, it may work, and it may not.
Annebo: We borrow ideas from other clubs, in the city and internationally and put our own twist on them.
Does doing specialty nights like the Wed Night Amateur Strip shows boost the attendance on what would otherwise be a slow night?
Annebo: Naked anything works. If people like it, they come.
There is some criticism over the fact that you are a members only club and only allow gay men and their guests into the club. How do you respond to the critics?
Annebo: After 15 years, I think our formula has worked so far. That’s not to say that will be the formula forever, but we supply a role to the community as well as a place for gay men and their friends to have a good time.
Bateman: At the time it was a business decision, and it works for us. I think it is rare that we are criticized for providing a space for people to relax and be themselves in. There may be criticism that we haven’t heard, but people will always have something to complain about.
Do you feel that being Members Only has an advantage in that everyone in the club is gay?
Bateman: Coming out is a process everyone goes through. Sooner or later, everyone comes to terms with it, and will find themselves happy to be wherever they choose to be. If I was just coming out, I would be more concerned about going somewhere where it is an open environment and my co-workers were sitting at the next table outing me. I would be far more comfortable in a place where I knew everyone was gay.
Annebo: Being a private club helps some gay men who haven’t come out of the closet to enter the door for the first time and know that they are protected within it’s walls and that most people here are gay. It alleviates a lot of the stress of coming out.
Where do you see the Calgary gay community going in the future?
Annebo: The Gay Pride Parade and week is an example of the exuberance and feeling of acceptance in this city. Years ago we would be lucky if we had 20 people do a gay parade, now we have all of 17th Avenue to work with. Making gays feel more comfortable within the straight community and with their own sexuality is important, and it will only get better.
What defines Metro Boyztown & the Rekroom?
Brewer: Our attitude. Although we are a members club we do pride ourselves on the positive things that we have done here. Our attitude is that we are continually looking for new and different entertainment, to change things up and make the club look a little different. We try to make being here as affordable as possible, such as drink prices and membership fees. We take a lot of pride in the establishment, how well it is run and the atmosphere. We try to provide a well-rounded social environment that a lot of groups benefit from.
How does it feel to have reached 15 years in business?
Brewer: It is a real milestone for any club regardless of what the membership or the clientele that they cater to. It really reflects on our genuine concern and hands on approach here. We are not absentee owners; we are here every day making sure it’s the best it possible can be. That is the secret to success in any business, that mentality right from management down to the staff.
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Contributor Jason Clevett |
Locale Calgary |
Topic Metro Boyztown | Rekroom |
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