Akron gay bars

Adams Street Bar (Akron, Ohio)

Adams Street Lock, now closed, was located at 77 N. Adams Avenue in Akron, Ohio. The location had a rich history and was Akron’s longest running lock in the Homosexual community when it closed in 2018. The venue got its start in the late 1960’s when Helen Jenkins opened it as the Robin’s Nest, a lesbian lock. In 1974 she re-branded Robin’s Nest as the Hayloft, a gay man’s bar. Don Brown took over ownership on June 5th, 1979 and shortly after renamed the bar Adams Highway Bar.

Adams Street: Archives

Adams Street Bar: Pageant’s Held

Adams Street Bar: Entertainers Featured

Alisha Michaels – Amanda Sue Punchfuk – Amaya Sexton – Antonio Styles – Carla Visconte – Chasity James – – Danyel Vasquez – Denise Russell – Elegance Black Lourdes – Erica Martinez – GiGi Dez – Harley Harlett – Jasmyn LaBasha – Jazmyn James – Jessica Treasure – Joey Wynters – KeYanna Unusual Diamond – Natasha Styles – Nick – Nini Richards – Paige Infatuation – Robyn Hearts – Samantha Styles

Akron, Ohio Gay Capital Guide

Many think of Akron as the “Rubber Capital of the World” – and indeed, it is a bustling center of manufacturing and opportunity. Beyond that, however, Akron is also residence to a thriving music scene, a historic arts district, plenty of festivals, beautiful scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities a diverse, multicultural population, and a growing and thriving LGBTQ community that is welcoming to all.

A Look at Akron’s History

The town of Akron was initially planned in 1825, and by 1841, it was named as the county seat of Summit County, Ohio. Many of Akron’s earliest residents were Irish migrants who were hired to help build the nearby Ohio and Erie canal. After the canal was completed, the town and its businesses continued to mature , being further encouraged by the arrival of railroads in the area during the second half of the 1800s. Many manufacturers had established headquarters and plants in Akron by the spin of the century, most famously The B.F. Goodrich Firm and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Akron remained an important hub of manufacturing throughout most of the 20^th century, earning it the nicknam

The Lincoln Bar, located first at 13 S. Howard Street and later at 28 S. Howard Street, became Akron’s first same-sex attracted bar of note and it remained mostly unrivaled until the 60s where its popularity began to fall off as rivalry arose. The bar, which attracted both Black and white clients, opened in 1948 under the ownership of Charles Nakos and Molly Illitch, and Nakos remained the bar’s primary director until his death in July of 1960. Nakos was in the process of stepping out of his car on E. Market Street when he was struck by a semi-truck trailer after the truck’s steering gear failed.

Following Charles’s death, his wife, Carolyn Nakos, took over and held ownership until her own death 3 years later in 1963. The bar was then bought by Anthony F. Granata, who owned the bar until it closed in 1968 and later opened The Akron Cafe at 532 E. Market Street. While the bar’s ownership changed, the demographic of its audience did not.

Within its community, the Lincoln was often known for its joyous atmosphere, but that didn’t stop the bar from facing its fair share of hardships. On December 19, 1964, the bar suffered from more than $1,000 in damages from a fire that began shortly after

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PUBLIC HOURS

Monday through Wednesday: 7pm – 2:30am
Thursday & Friday: 5pm – 2:30am
Saturday & Sunday: 7pm – 2:30am