Since 1987 The Texas Lounge, which shares a building with Detour and Goliaths, has been a gathering place for members of the gay community who are looking for an alternative to the club scene. It is named after Texas Corey, a man who was well known in the community and served as a Maitre D’ at a number of Calgary’s high-end four-star restaurants. He passed away in 1986, and the lounge features a plaque on the wall in his name as a lasting tribute to a man that, owner Darrell Zakreski calls "a Gentleman’s Gentleman." Zakreski spoke with GayCalgary.com about the Texas Lounge and the secret to staying in business for 17 years.

"It’s a number of factors. Definitely the location is a big one," he said. "The size of the establishment makes it conducive to a very social environment. The Texas Lounge and Goliaths was established when my partner and I were approached by the landlord to take the lease after it was occupied by a different bathhouse. There was no lounge on the premises at the time, so we inquired with the city as to if they would be receptive to licensing a bar. They were – so lo and behold the Texas Lounge was established. We have always been open to everyone in the community, not just towards a specific crowd."

Indeed the mixed crowd is part of the appeal.

"It’s a collage of everyone in the community, from 18 to the gentleman who recently celebrated his 70th birthday here. We are open to all ages of the gay community and always have been. In the early days we were a private men’s club, but we elected to remove that status for two reasons. The first was that it was becoming difficult to control, and secondly VLTs became available within the province. We felt that was an interesting social entertainment component for the lounge, and we are presently the only gay facility with VLTs."

The lounge has also been nicknamed "The Bunker."

"It was a code word that was established by a very good patron by the name of Jack Tabner. Jack was a long time regular who passed away around 8 years ago and was well known in the community. For purposes of [concealing the fact that] they were going to a gay establishment, the code name was ‘The Bunker’ because it was the lower level of the building and had the feel of a bunker."

Texas Lounge is the only small lounge-style gay establishment and exudes the warmth and comfort of the neighborhood pub that the straight community embraces.

"Not a lot is different. I have straight friends who have come down to socialize and have the misconception that it will be totally gay, and are cautious about that. However when they sit down and have a drink they remark ‘you would never know this was a gay bar.’ I think the days of a gay bars being secluded and hidden with only the gay community knowing about it is over, there is a lot of mixing nowadays. However we are and always will be a gay bar, and our first priority is to service the needs of the gay community. This is more of a socialized environment – the ‘Cheers’, if you will, in Gay Calgary. There aren’t really any other venues similar to ours. We have a regular clientele and some have been here since day one. When you see that, you think ‘maybe you are doing something right.’ If people stopped coming back you would wonder ‘where did these people go?’ That is the signal to me of success, [it] is the long-time regulars."

Like any establishment, there are misconceptions about The Texas Lounge. Some are intimidated by the concept that the bathhouse is on the premises. Zakreski is eager to clear up some of the misconceptions.

"I have heard the ‘affiliation with the baths’ concern on many occasions, and my response is that the two premises are separate from each other. There is a misconception that if you come to the Lounge you are attached to the bath side of the location. [The Texas Lounge] is a stand-alone business and is licensed as that through regulatory bodies. It has a separate entrance and is totally isolated from the bath side, so I hope people aren’t afraid of the location. Those who go to the bathhouse are there for their own social well being and purposes, and those on this side are here for different ones." The mistruths have been a concern for Zakreski over the years. "I don’t think some of what people think is really fair. Going to social places is like cuisine; unless you try it you can’t say you don’t like it. I have also heard the rumor that it is only ‘lower class people’ who come here. That isn’t fair either; it is all facets of the community, wealthy, poor, and middle class. That is what makes the fabric so interesting, is the fact that you can meet a variety of people."

Having been in business for 17 years, Zakreski has seen a change in the community that troubles him.

"There is more of a division between younger and older members of the community, which I find sad. Maybe some of the younger guys feel ‘preyed upon’ but that happens in any bar. If a nice looking girl who’s 19 walks into a straight bar, the older crowd will be attracted to them. I would like to see more intermixing of ages. Part of what makes the Bunker such a necessity is that as you get older you become less and less interested in a nightclub environment. You can talk and socialize here instead of drinking, dancing and trying to talk over loud music."

In addition to happy hour pricing, Texas Lounge has special events throughout the year and currently has Karaoke on Tuesdays.

"We also have different promotions... It’s a moving target for us, we respond as best we can to the needs of the community. Karaoke was suggested to us, we tried it and it was successful so we bought our own unit. It also shows the vast amount of talented singers that are in the community; you would be surprised how many there are."

Zakreski extends an invitation to everyone in the gay community to visit the Texas Lounge and find out for themselves that it truly is a comfortable atmosphere that welcomes everyone in its doors.

"If people have heard of the Texas Lounge and have been inquisitive about patronizing it, they are more than welcome to."

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Contributor Jason Clevett |

Locale Calgary |

Topic Goliath's | Texas Lounge |

Photo Gallery Texas Lounge |