Cedar Creek Lake's 15-year-old gay bar Friends closes as result of tough economic times brought on by drought

by David Webb

David Webb is a veteran journalist who has written for the mainstream and alternative media for three decades. He is now a freelancer who lives in the Cedar Creek Lake area. He is a regular contributor to cedarcreeklake.com. E-mail story ideas to davidwaynewebb@yahoo.com.

Friends, a gay bar that operated on Cedar Creek Lake for 15 years, has closed down as a result of the devastating drought that caused the lake level to drop by almost eight feet this year.

The private club's owner, Leo Bartlett, announced in a Facebook message Dec. 20 the bar would be closing at an unspecified date. He never again opened the doors for business.

In an interview this week Bartlett said that he came to realize there was no other option for him than to shut down the club.

"It was time for me to close," Bartlett said. "It was 15 good years. That's what is important."

Bartlett said the operators of other nightclubs on Cedar Creek Lake told him they also experienced dramatic decreases in revenue last year as a result of the drought.

Friends was well known to local business people and many area residents because of the charitable benefits it held raising money for homeless animals, the elderly, the poor and HIV patients. Through its charitable drag shows and variety show productions by the community theater group Friends Players, the bar raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity for many years.

It was known as a neighborhood bar with polite social standards where many members of the lake's gay and lesbian community met. It also attracted frequent visits by straight residents who said they enjoyed the shows and the bar's friendly atmosphere.

Many customers expressed sadness upon hearing about the bar's closing.

Cedar Creek Lake has a large gay and lesbian community that includes full-time residents and weekenders. Members of the community also frequent the lake's straight nightclubs, where the owners have made a point of welcoming them.

The lake's second gay nightclub, Garlow's, opened two years ago, and it is still in business.

Garlow's owner, Michael Slingerland, expressed dismay that Friends, where he once worked part-time as a bartender, had closed.

"We've talked about it a lot here," Slingerland said. "It's really sad."

Like Friends, Garlow's also has a large number of straight customers.

The Friends nightclub building has been offered for sale or lease.

Bartlett said he plans to remain in the area, and he is considering what type of employment to pursue next.

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