My first gay bar in Chicago ...
"When I was first coming out it was back in '79. I told a woman friend of mine that I was gay, and she said 'Oh you should meet my friend blah, because you two will hit it off, because he's gay.' So I said, 'Oh, OK.' I was coming out and I didn't know many people and so I met him and he said, 'Do you want to go to a bar?' I sure 'Sure.' And he said, 'Ok I'll pick you up tonight over here.' We lived in the suburbs.
"He shows up in full leather. I thought, 'Oh my god!' So he said, 'Let's go.' And I said, 'Where are we going?' And he said, 'Well, you'll see.' So we're two suburban boys and he drives me into the city and we go to Touché, which used to be at 2800 N. Lincoln, north of Diversey.
"Man, I missed some fucking hot days back then. It's packed. It's a Friday night, and there's all these hot men with leather. He knew the bouncer and we were both 18, so we were under the legal drinking age back then. The bouncer was this really hot Black guy. We said hello and he gave me the look over, and I was still trying to figure out that whole cruisy thing and I wasn't sure what was going on. So this guy and I hung out and drunk a few beers ... and I just get flashes here and there. I remember loud Disco music and hot men, and I remember this one guy; I just looked at him and he was a dark guy with a beard and he was wearing a blue jean jacket and he just came over and started kissing me. It was my first time, a green 18-year-old. And some guy just comes up and starts kissing me, it was completely wild to me at that time. I remember tasting beer on his tongue and being very excited.
"I didn't go upstairs, dammit, I just went in the front room. I heard later that there was all kinds of stuff going on up there, but I don't think I could have handled it at that time." ... Sal Iacopelli, author of the book LOVE SALetters from a boy in The City.
Memory check:
Back then Touche's was located at 2825 N. Lincoln Ave. In the March 5, 1976 issue of Chicago Gay Life, columnist Richard Pfeiffer writes: "Check out a new bar, Touché, on N. Lincoln. Timmy of the King's Ransom is now bartending there."
Touche's at the Lincoln Ave. location was destroyed by fire on Saturday, March 3, 1990 between 5 and 6 a.m. The fire broke out in a storage area for the heating and electrical systems, then spread to an area for alcohol inventory. When the alcohol exploded, the roof of the bar caught fire.
The bar had originally been opened by the owners of the legendary King's Ransom, located at 20 E. Chicago Ave. Then Wally Thomas bought Touche's a year later and operated it as a leather bar. The following year, Thomas moved to St. Louis, and the bar was bought popular bartender Chuck Rodocker, who is still the owner.
When the bar burned down, Rodocker was on vacation in New Orleans, and was quoted as saying: "At this time, I do not know whether Touché will rise like a Phoenix or whether it will become another notch in the belt of Chicago's gay and lesbian business community history."
Many people have fond memories of Touche's on Lincoln, and looking back through old gay papers, the bar hosted some intriguing events.
An ad in Gay Chicago March 24, 1983, reads: "Full Moon Fetish Night for Size Queens Monday, March 28. Wear a mustard hankie. Judging at midnight for the biggest piece in town. Winner gets $10 an inch."
In Gay Chicago Oct. 4, 1979, an ad reads: "Monday, Oct. 8. Fetish Night...uncuts, prove it and all drinks are 50c."
Gay Chicago Oct. 4, 1979: "Some people say Tough Shit, but men say Touché."
My own personal favorite Touche's event was after they moved to their current location at 6412 N. Clark. The ad is in Gay Chicago Jan. 3, 1991. It reads: "Tommy McCracken. The only Cherokee Indian singing the blues. Performing with his band The Force of Habit every Wednesday in January. 'Six foot two and 292 lbs, and he can moon walk like Michael Jackson."
Did any of the readers attend this event.
Future historians take note: The memory section in this column contains just that...memories...and are only to be used as a starting point for your research. Send your stories to Sukie de la Croix at Windy City Times. You can leave a message on his voicemail at 773-871-7610. He interviews over the phone, in person, or via e-mail sukiedelacroix@ozhasspoken.com