Curtis Bigelow
Lobby Bar
916 E Pike St, 206-328-6703

So you're the new owner of the straight-friendly gay bar the Lobby. The space your bar inhabits has seen so many different bars and clubs over the years. Did you slaughter a lamb and sing the song "Evacuate the Dancefloor" to rid the space of its biblical curse?

Actually, we tried to evict all the bad spirits using a Native American ritual called smudging. We burned sage and fanned the smoke all over the space in the hopes that it would attach itself to the bad energy. If we could also bless or exorcise the bar, we would.

What kind of clientele are you hoping to intoxicate?

We've tried to create a place anyone could enjoy. We did a lot of research, and what we thought was missing from the Seattle-gay-bar scene was a comfortable and somewhat sophisticated space where gentlemen our age could come and hang out with our friends. We like the word "swanky." We're not so interested in finding dates.

Tell me about your first gay-bar experience. For example, I threw up.

The first gay bar I went to was called the Brass Rail in Spokane. I didn't throw up on myself, but I was super nervous and I don't think I spoke to a single person. I had two beers, and I sat in the dark and drank by myself.

What's the flirtiest drink on your menu?

I really like the Sugar. It's named after a bar that used to be in this space. To make it, we use vodka, Malibu rum, and a splash of pineapple. recommended