The Eagle is a name used by multiple
gay bars. It is not a
franchise or
chain
A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A c ...
of gay bars, but rather a name adopted by bars inspired by
The Eagle's Nest, a
leather bar in
New York City. Bars that use the name "Eagle" typically cater to a clientele of
gay men
Gay men are male homosexuals. Some bisexual and homoromantic men may also dually identify as gay, and a number of young gay men also identify as queer. Historically, gay men have been referred to by a number of different terms, including ' ...
in leather and other
kink subcultures. As of 2017, over 30 gay bars in locations around the world operate under the name "Eagle".
History
The first gay bar to operate under the name "The Eagle" was
The Eagle's Nest (now named Eagle NYC), located in
New York City.
The bar originally operated as a
longshoreman's
tavern that opened in 1931 under the name Eagle Open Kitchen.
Prompted by the
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots (also known as the Stonewall uprising, Stonewall rebellion, or simply Stonewall) were a series of spontaneous protests by members of the gay community in response to a police raid that began in the early morning hours of Ju ...
in 1969 and subsequent growth of the city's gay culture, the tavern's owners converted the establishment into a
gay bar in 1970.
The Eagle's Nest became a popular gathering point for the city's gay
leather subculture, biker groups, and sports clubs, and subsequently inspired the creation of similarly named gay bars across the United States and internationally.
Gay bars that use the name "Eagle" operate as independent businesses, and are not managed by a single corporate entity in the manner of a
franchise or
chain store.
Rather, Eagle bars typically share the common trait of catering to a clientele of masculine-presenting
gay men
Gay men are male homosexuals. Some bisexual and homoromantic men may also dually identify as gay, and a number of young gay men also identify as queer. Historically, gay men have been referred to by a number of different terms, including ' ...
, with specific emphasis on the
kink and leather subcultures.
The diffuse nature of the ownership of the name "Eagle" resulted in a conflict in 2007 between two gay bar owners in
Portland, Oregon who both sought to use the name for their respective bars.
Not all Eagle bars conform to these characteristics; for example, Eagle London began as a leather bar before shifting towards a general
LGBT clientele,
while Eagle Tokyo bills itself as a "
Brooklyn-style" bar targeted towards
bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...
s. Some Eagle locations historically enforced strict
dress codes obligating patrons to wear leather garments, though
NBC News reported in 2017 that these standards have largely been relaxed due to "both societal changes and business realities".
At their peak of popularity, over 50 bars around the world operated under the name "Eagle". As of 2017, there are over 30 Eagle bars, in countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Austria, and Japan.
Many Eagle bars hold (or held) annual
leather competitions, some of which serve as feeder competitions for larger regional or international competitions such as
International Mr. Leather
International Mr. Leather (IML) is an international, though largely American, conference and contest of leathermen held annually in May since 1979 in Chicago, Illinois. Every year, the event corresponds to the weekend of the United States' Mem ...
.
List of Eagle bars
See also
*
Leather bars and clubs
Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hogs, ...
References
{{reflist, refs=
[{{cite web , last1=Beck , first1=Byron , title=Spread Eagle , url=https://www.wweek.com/portland/article-6498-spread-eagle.html , website= Willamette Week , access-date=May 11, 2021 , date=January 16, 2007 , archive-date=May 11, 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511231323/https://www.wweek.com/portland/article-6498-spread-eagle.html , url-status=live ]
[{{cite web , last1=Street , first1=Mikelle , title=How 'The Eagle' Became One of the Most Recognized Gay Bar Names , url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/how-eagle-became-one-most-recognized-gay-bar-names-n813336 , website= NBC News , access-date=May 11, 2021 , date=October 24, 2017 , archive-date=June 7, 2019 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607200135/https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/how-eagle-became-one-most-recognized-gay-bar-names-n813336 , url-status=live ]
[{{cite web , last1=Maigné , first1=Juliette , title=There's a Lot More to Being a Leatherman Than You'd Expect , url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/7xmqmq/theres-a-lot-more-to-being-a-leatherman-than-youd-expect , website= Vice , access-date=May 12, 2021 , date=June 21, 2018 , archive-date=May 12, 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512000459/https://www.vice.com/en/article/7xmqmq/theres-a-lot-more-to-being-a-leatherman-than-youd-expect , url-status=live ]
Leather bars and clubs