Just mention the name Herbies’ to LGBTers of certain age and eyes light up, smiles broaden and the stories start to flow like Bud Light at Beer Bust. Indeed, the iconic nightclub was St. Louis’ own Studio 54 where the beautiful people boogied late into the night atop the trademark dance floor suspended from the ceiling.
Herbies’ was an award winning restaurant from 4:30 til 9 p.m. and destination-disco from 9 til 1:30 a.m. and owned by the colorful Herb Balaban (of Balabans Restaurant fame) and managed by his wife, the irrepressible and equally lovely, Adalaide. The latter held court at the door complete with large, street-level windows. The glass and chrome hot spot located at the corner of Euclid and Maryland was the queer haunt of choice throughout the 1970s and early 1980s and ground zero for the Central West End Halloween celebration.
The two story complex was the prettiest, the smartest and the most up-to-date facility in St. Louis and stood in marked contrast to the majority of LGBT bars. In short—people wanted to be seen there.
Now Adalaide credits her life-long friend and former Balaban’s employee, John Sullivan with creating the magic that was Herbies’—the business venture had struggled at first.
“The city didn’t understand it,” she recalled. “They thought it was going to be a Balabans II and instead it was something so new and so different. It just never clicked with the straight community.”
Sullivan announced that he could turn things around in a hurry if he could hire new waiters and bartenders and put the word out in the community.
“I said honey you can hire anyone you want and let’s see what happens,” Adalaide explained. “So John went out and before you knew it I had a whole change of staff and the best looking young men working for me and in no time it was Rock n’ Roll.”
“The only people who got what we were doing were from the gay community,” she continued. “They understood art deco and the music—they got what was coming up next.”
___
“Herbies’ was the first bar I ever went to and I have never forgotten it. I often thought it was because I was young and just being around other gays was what was so special about it—but as I got older, I really came to realize Herbies’ was a special, one-of-a-kind place.
Walking into Herbies’ truly was like walking into a fantasy where one had to keep reminding themselves that it was real. From the beautiful mirrored, painted murals and the deco light fixtures to the second story dance floor and the huge penguins holding serving napkins applied to the windows—magic—pure magic.
I met my “Grace” as in “Will and Grace” at Herbies’. We still are friends some 35-years later.”
– Daniel Flier (Vanessa Vincent, MGM 1982)
“My “Will” is right—it was such a special place and so elegant compared to the other bars. It was a magical place where we danced away until
they played "Last Dance” and then would go eat breakfast at Denny's.
Oh and Herbies’ was also a great restaurant. When we were underage we'd go there late for the dinner part—order a dessert and coffee—and stay until the disco part started. And then you had a great booth for home base.”
–Michelle Loftin - Design Consultant, Pierre Deux
“I had the good fortune to live in a cheap, furnished apartment across the street from Herbies’. I had no car at the time and was working several part time jobs, so my favorite past time was to hang out in the vestibule of Herbies’ with Adalaide as she carded people. Herbies’ was a special place but part of the draw was undoubtedly Adelaide. She was so warm, funny and welcoming.
It was one of the first places I had ever been to that drew such an eclectic crowd that mixed so well. But make no mistake about it—heterosexuals were in the minority, so they had to play nicely with the gays. How refreshing was that?”
–Joan Lipkin - Artistic Director, That Uppity Theatre Company
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
