Detroit Eagle (also known as the Eagle) is a nightclub and entertainment complex in Detroit, Michigan. It is part of a larger network of The Eagle (bar), which have a common theme and cater primarily to the LGBTQ+ community, particularly the Leather subculture and BDSM subculture.[1][2][3][4]
| Address | 928 W McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48203 |
|---|---|
| Location | Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Type | Nightclub and entertainment complex |
| Opened | (Original Menjos) 1970s |
History
editThe history of gay bars in Detroit is rich and diverse. After World War II, downtown Detroit became a hub for gay bars. Starting in the 1950s, the gay population began following the migration pattern of many Metro Detroiters, heading northward. By the 1970s, there was a community in the Palmer Park that thrived until the late 1980s.[5]
Specific details on the Detroit Eagle's origins are scarce. The Menjos Complex, where the Detroit Eagle is located, has a longer, more detailed history. Menjos, the original bar, was established in the 1970s and became a popular gathering spot for the LGBTQ+ community.[6]
The original location was at 1501 Holden St Detroit, Michigan, now known as the Marble Bar, a live music venue bar that opened in the Fall of 2015 in the space formerly occupied by the Detroit Eagle, which moved in 2010. The Detroit Eagle became a part of this larger Menjos Complex in 2010.[7] Over the years, the venue expanded and evolved, eventually becoming the Menjos Complex, which includes multiple bars, a dance club, and various entertainment spaces.
Connection to Madonna
editIn the 1970s, Madonna, the iconic pop sensation, made youthful forays into Menjo's in the Palmer Park area.[8] Her presence at this historic establishment has since become a legendary chapter in her early life, and this was likely the first gay bar where the pop icon ever danced.[9][10] According to local legend, Madonna's patronage of the bar took place during the mid- to late 1970s.[11] However, her visits were not without controversy, as she was eventually barred from the establishment.[12] Tim McKee-Zazo, Menjo’s general manager said “Before she went to New York and got famous, this was her hangout.[13] Her period of coming here was the mid- to late ’70s, but then she was barred from coming,” he said, sharing a local legend. “She got kicked out of here for pulling her vagina out. She was a rowdy teenager at the time.”[14] The original disco ball Madonna danced under is still in the possession of Menjo's; "That's the original 1976 disco ball that Madonna used to dance under here at Menjo's. She was 16 years old."[15]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Baldas, Tresa. "Photographer sues iconic Detroit gay bar over steamy photo used to promote military night". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Green, Randiah Camille. "Detroit's Menjos hosting benefit concert for Club Q following horrific shooting". Detroit Metro Times. Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Staff, Metro Times. "The hottest hookup bars in metro Detroit [PHOTOS]". Detroit Metro Times. Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ "Why Madonna Was Banned from a Gay Bar in Detroit in the '70s, as Legend Has It". www.deadlinedetroit.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Herberg, Melissa Mason, Laura (2016-07-11). "CuriosiD: Did Detroit Ever Have A 'Gayborhood'?". WDET 101.9 FM. Retrieved 2023-11-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Why Madonna Was Banned from a Gay Bar in Detroit in the '70s, as Legend Has It". www.deadlinedetroit.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ Staff, Metro Times. "The hottest hookup bars in metro Detroit [PHOTOS]". Detroit Metro Times. Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ "Why Madonna Was Banned from a Gay Bar in Detroit in the '70s, as Legend Has It". www.deadlinedetroit.com. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ DeVito, Lee. "Menjo's is making a museum of Detroit's gay history". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ "Why Madonna Was Banned from a Gay Bar in Detroit in the '70s, as Legend Has It". www.deadlinedetroit.com. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ "Why Madonna Was Banned from a Gay Bar in Detroit in the '70s, as Legend Has It". www.deadlinedetroit.com. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ "Why Madonna Was Banned from a Gay Bar in Detroit in the '70s, as Legend Has It". www.deadlinedetroit.com. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ "Why Madonna Was Banned from a Gay Bar in Detroit in the '70s, as Legend Has It". www.deadlinedetroit.com. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ "Why Madonna Was Banned from a Gay Bar in Detroit in the '70s, as Legend Has It". www.deadlinedetroit.com. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ DeVito, Lee. "Menjo's is making a museum of Detroit's gay history". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved 2023-10-11.