The death toll from that June 24, 1973, arson - the deadliest crime against gays in the U.S. But because the Up Stairs Lounge was a gay bar and all but one of the dead were gay men, the police investigation of the arson was casual and incomplete. It had been the worst fire in New Orleans’ history. The smell of burnt flesh was overwhelming.īy the time the flames were extinguished, 32 people were dead. Firefighters found grisly spectacles: a dead man hanging from one window with horror seared on his face and, upstairs, piles of charred bodies, some melted together.
Those trapped inside desperately tried to squeeze through the iron bars on the floor-to-ceiling windows. Peter Street did not reopen after the lockdown.Mississippi Center For Investigative ReportingĪ fireball rushed inside the Up Stairs Lounge and raced through the bar, and the flammable decor and patrons’ polyester clothing. They include Mimi’s in the Marigny at 2601 Royal St. With expenses over $20,000+ a month and no income expected any time soon, options are running out.”Ī few bars in New Orleans have closed since the initial COVID-19 lockdown last March and the ensuing restrictions.
Without income or additional resources available, The Golden Lantern is struggling to keep its head above water. “Despite being closed, Entergy and SWBNO bills are somehow much higher than usual. “The reality is, the bills (rent, insurance, utilities, taxes, etc) continue to pour in,” the page said. “No one was prepared to still be dealing with this 5 months later, with no end in sight,” the page said. The page said that a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan helped keep the bar afloat for two and half months, and much of the money was spent on sanitizing stations, thermometers, tables, tents and other items to keep patrons and staff safe. On Wednesday, the page said it has raised $7,815 of its $60,000 goal. In August, a GoFundMe fundraiser was organized by Garner and two others to try to save the Golden Lantern. Bars can still serve customers outdoors and offer go-cups. But in late December, as COVID-19 cases rose, state-mandated rules closed indoor service again. Restrictions eased in October and allowed bars to offer limited indoor seating. Whereas bars with food permits have pivoted into acting like restaurants, others like the Golden Lantern, which does not have a kitchen, could not. The bar has always sold memorabilia such as hats and T-shirts, and Garner said he’s put these offerings online and is now sending packages throughout the country to help make up for some of the lost revenue.īars like the Golden Lantern have been hit particularly hard with changing restrictions. Garner said the business is doing about a third of the sales it was doing before the COVID-19 pandemic. “Nine years is a long time to be in the bar business,” he said. Golden Lantern owner James Garner, who’s owned the establishment for almost nine years, said he is selling because he’s “ready to move on.” Garner said he’s already received two phone calls regarding the sale since it was listed on Tuesday. The building is not available for purchase, and the bar would remain open, he added. The bar, opened in 1964, is trademarked and legally licensed in Louisiana as the official “Home of Southern Decadence.” The new owner would pick up the current lease at $6,400 per month, the listing said.īusiness broker Russell Bernstein of KW Commercial said the name, trademark, furnishings and equipment would be included in the sale. The Golden Lantern, located at 1239 Royal St., is up for sale at $900,000, according to a listing in the Louisiana Commercial Database.