18 gay clubs in long beach ca

And, naturally, the San Pedro native wondered if anyone at this new hot spot — Club Ripples, in Belmont Shore — would know who he was. Garcia, who coincidentally had been working at Club Ripples as an accountant and general manager, helped Hebert get a job there too.

But now, nearly 40 years after taking over, the couple will step away at last: Hebert and Garcia will soon sell Club Ripples. Hebert and Garcia still have time for a final goodbye. Top pop blasted in the background. A dancer — donning rainbow socks, and little else — swayed in the background.

As the night deepened, the bar slowly filled; Club Ripples, its owners said, was in for a busy weekend. The crowd was kaleidoscopic in its diversity, matching the rainbow streamers. The bar opened inthree years after a raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Lower Manhattan, sparked violent clashes between police and the LGBT community — kick-starting the gay-rights movement.

They would come in with knives, with bats or clubs, different things — they would want to hurt people. Every religion, Cartier said, deemed those who were gay sinners and unfit to be parents. One of the things, Cartier said, that makes Ripples so unique and appealing — even today — is it has easy parking near the water and is in a safe neighborhood.

When Hebert and Garcia bought the two-story bar, on Ocean Boulevard, they closed it down for a few months for renovations. The demand for Club Ripples was obvious. Still, the gay community needed each other — perhaps more than ever. So they stuck together, Hebert said, like a family.

The blue-and-red sirens flashing against the night. Men and women carrying their pals — some limping and bloodied — away from the night club. The ticker at the bottom of news channels updating the toll: ultimately, 49 dead and 53 wounded. For many, that attack snapped them back to the reality that despite recent victories — the previous year, the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage a constitutional right — the LGBT community still faces animosity.

Club Broadway, where Cartier had a first date with her now-wife, closed a few years ago. Ripples is closing so its owners can enjoy retirement. But Hebert has also noticed the number of gay bars that have shuttered over the years. Part of the reason, Hebert said, 18 gay clubs in long beach ca because the LGBTQ community can meet nearly anywhere now, such as coffee shops and gyms.

But he suspects the main culprit is the internet. And with the rates of hate crimes increasing and a divisive political climate, Hebert said, gay bars are more needed than ever. Garcia, who is quiet by nature, still does the record keeping for Ripples.

Long Beach Pride Guide 2025

Hebert, more outgoing, oversees the operation of the business during night shifts. The couple hopes to buy a condo in Palm Springs and spend their time hopping between there and Long Beach. They also plan to make more day trips to the beach, and travel to Italy.

So Club Ripples, and the adjacent liquor store they own, will close this summer. As news of the closure has spread, the owners have received letters of both sadness and well-wishing. It was around 8 p. The club would soon swell. Hebert was running Club Ripples.