How have Florida’s oldest gay bars thrived?
Lessons from classic LGBTQ+ Florida establishments
By Valerie Smith
As the number of gay bars in the country continues to decline, several in the greater Tampa Bay Area have remained strong for decades. The past and the present of these establishments are both crucial elements to understanding their longevity. I spoke with owners and employees to understand the history of these bars and why they’ve outlasted so many others.
Pro Shop Pub
Lesbian origins, lasting presence
My grandmother used to live down the street from Pro Shop Pub in Clearwater, and I remember being confused by the exterior. It’s a nondescript building that doesn’t look like a gay bar at all, save for a pride flag on the roof. In fact, this discretion has protected the bar and its customers throughout its history. It’s a smoking bar, so my asthma wouldn’t mix well with the place, but I am told that the interior is dark and rustic with a friendly atmosphere. Manager Chris Terry says it’s both a gay bar and a neighborhood bar, and that there are some nights where it’s more straight than it is gay.
Pro Shop Pub is the oldest gay bar in the immediate Tampa Bay Area. The Pub was opened in 1976 by Mike Anderson with the intention of creating a lunch spot that could be something of a lounge for golfers. A gay bar was the farthest thing from his mind. When the business started failing, Anderson prepared to close the place down. Nancy O’Neill, an employee of a car dealership next door, came in for a drink after work one day. When Anderson told her of his financial troubles with the place, she offered to take on the role of partner to resuscitate the business. When asked what she planned to do differently, O’Neill recalls saying, “That doesn’t really matter, does it?”
As a lesbian, O’Neill knew where the gay people in town would hang out. She invited guys over to Pro Shop Pub from In Town Lounge, a now-defunct gay bar. She brought the women from her softball team (naturally) after practices. The place was a hit and began operating as a de facto gay bar, much to the surprise of the owner. When Anderson’s initial shock faded, he realized the money was good and Pro Shop Pub became a home for Clearwater’s gay community. Despite some harassment, gay-bashing, and attempted arson, Pro Shop Pub stuck around. When O’Neill believed Anderson wasn’t splitting profits fairly a few years later, she decided to leave the business. The gay patrons of Pro Shop Pub stuck around, and to this day it remains a gay bar.
The Parrot
“The last of the old classics”
The Parrot in Lakeland purports to be Florida’s oldest gay bar, though it’s hard to pin down the exact year it attained that distinction. Mike Burdette has been operating as a bartender there since 1978. He says that the building was built in 1931 and has been a biker bar and a restaurant, and that it eventually transformed into a gay bar called “Roy’s Green Parrot.” In those days, Burdette recalls a payphone outside the bar that homophobes would call to spew hate. He says the bartenders were amused by the expletives shouted by callers, and whenever the phone rang they would race to see who could answer it first.
Burdette and The Parrot’s owner, Rich Dunn, both feel that the bar has changed a lot in the last few decades. When Dunn first visited The Parrot in the early 90s, he walked out as soon as he walked in. “It was dark, it was extremely smoky, … it was something out of a scary movie,” Dunn jokes. Since then, the bar has adapted to the changing needs of the gay community. Burdette believes dating and hookup apps like Grindr have led to gay people being less reliant on bars to find a partner, contributing to the shift in the purpose and general vibe of the establishment. Although the scene has changed over the years, Burdette still dubs The Parrot “one of the last of the old classics.”
Today, The Parrot is bright, lively, and welcoming. It reminds me more of my hometown bar than of the big city gay clubs I’m used to. The original entrance is around the back, which Dunn says is due to old rules against gay bars having an entrance on the street. The music is never too loud for conversation, the drinks are affordable, and the people are friendly and fun. Thursday nights are karaoke nights and, in my experience, there are always lesbians in attendance belting their favorites.
What can we learn?
In a state where gay bars seem to pop up and shut down every year, the longevity of these establishments stands out. Dunn says that The Parrot’s position as one of the only gay attractions in Polk county has to do with its success, as does being capable of weathering financial droughts due to low operating costs. Terry believes that Pro Shop Pub’s history of family ownership has contributed to its success, as well as a loyal community of patrons. He says that a married couple who met at the bar decades ago continue to be regulars to this day. From my conversation with O’Neill, it also seems that the bar still benefits from the strong business model she implemented in Pro Shop Pub’s early days.
Both establishments are bars rather than nightclubs. The smaller size means lower maintenance costs, while the laid-back atmosphere makes the scene more tolerable. Most people couldn’t go to a nightclub multiple times a week, but I find myself wishing The Parrot was closer to me so I could visit more often. This seemingly allows the establishments to build up a dedicated base of loyal customers who continue to show up and keep cash flowing in exchange for the drinks and community the space provides. The economic downturn of late has made the situation a bit more challenging for both The Parrot and Pro Shop Pub, but Dunn and Terry seem confident that the bars will remain open well into the future with continued support from the community.
These articles were originally published in the January and February 2025 issues of The Sapphic Sun