Gay bathhouses in houston

C lub Houston has recently completed an month renovation, and a celebration of the improvements was held in late January. Dennis Holding, a major investor in the club, says that Club Houston is now one of the showcase clubs in the country.

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The club, which opened inhas been a familiar gay social hub in Houston for nearly five decades, offering local gay men an alcohol- and drug-free alternative to the local bar scene. Holding says the idea for a Houston club began in Cleveland, Ohio, where he had met gay entrepreneur Jack Campbell in Campbell had purchased an old Russian bathhouse in Cleveland and converted it into Club Baths, the first bathhouse for gay men in this country.

Holding became a Club Baths investor after meeting Campbell and becoming a part of his social circle that included many other gay men from across the country. After they leased the property for a year, with an option to buy, the building at Fannin was converted into a bathhouse.

The elegantly appointed bath was the scene of a tremendous party, with more than Houstonites welcoming the Club to Houston. Other facilities include large private rooms, television lounge, canteen, lockers, dormitory and outdoor patio. The club was successful, and after a year, the investors bought the property and soon added a swimming pool in the outdoor patio area.

After a privacy wall was built, the club offered nude sunbathing. The club appealed to a variety of local customers and visitors from out of town. It was especially popular after the gay bars closed on weekend nights, and it offered an inexpensive alternative to hotels for travelers.

Involving itself in the local community, Club Houston sponsored an annual Mr. Club Houston contest, held at a houston bar. On May 25,a fire broke out in the club, and the Houston Fire Department determined that the cause was arson. Except for the front check-in area, the bathhouse was gutted by the fire and had to be rebuilt.

During the construction period, the club offered free admission to the pool and patio area. The s were a sobering time for the club, with the onset of the AIDS crisis. The club worked with local AIDS organizations to help keep customers educated about the growing epidemic by offering free condoms and educational brochures.

When HIV tests were developed, the club partnered with local health groups to provide free bathhouse. Safe-sex posters were visible in the club, and health workers were invited to offer safe-sex presentations. The Club Baths group also toured adult film star Sgt.

Glenn Swann, who appeared as Mr. Playsafe at bathhouse safe-sex gay around the country. The club worked to create a new image as more of a health club by building an expanded exercise area. The efforts were successful, and business picked up. Although some critics felt that bathhouses were breeding grounds for AIDS, their educational efforts and HIV testing programs may have actually helped reduce transmission of the virus.

The investors offered the house to local preservationists, but the cost was too great to move gay.