Townhouse Bar Explained

Townhouse Bar of New York
Logo Image:Townhouse_Bar_Logo.png
Address:236 East 58th Street
Location:Midtown East, Manhattan,
New York City
Opened:1989

The Townhouse Bar of New York, or simply The Townhouse, is an upscale gay piano bar which opened in 1989. It is located in the Midtown East, Manhattan neighborhood of New York City.[1]

Description

The front room of the Townhouse building is a cocktail lounge with architectural prints and soft background music, while the back room features a piano bar with nightly performances and open mic singing along with everybody sing-a-longs.[2] There is also a downstairs club room.[3] A conservative dress code is enforced compared to other gay bars.[1] [4]

The bar's clientele has been described as a "well-educated, distinguished and cultured crowd" largely over 30. Media outlets have characterized the bar as a place where younger men seek out sugar daddies.[1] [5] [6]

History

The Townhouse was established in 1989 by boutique shop owner Paul Galluccio and his partner Michael Grummons.[1] [7] Galluccio was inspired to start his own bar after being denied entry to another establishment.[1] The venue was originally designed to offer a more sophisticated experience than other gay bars at the time, and to attract businessmen from Park and Madison Avenues.[7] In 2019, 30 years after the bar first opened, Galluccio and Grummons were still co-owners.[1] [7] [8] Galluccio died in 2021.[9]

The bar was the last location where two victims of serial killer Richard Rogers (also known as the Last Call Killer) were seen before their murders in 1991.[10] The victims were 54-year-old investment banker Peter Anderson and 57-year-old computer sales representative Thomas Mulcahy, both of whom were in New York City on business.[11]

In April 2020, longtime Townhouse pianist Rick Unterberg died of COVID-19 at the age of 61.[12] [13] [14]

Real Housewives of New York City star Luann de Lesseps made headlines in 2022 after getting kicked out of the bar for drunken behavior. She subsequently issued a public apology.[15] [16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Still Clubbing at 82 . The New York Times . October 24, 2018 . Michael . Musto . May 11, 2023.
  2. Web site: The Townhouse Bar of New York . Time Out New York . April 8, 2010 . May 11, 2023.
  3. Web site: The Townhouse . Get Out! Magazine . April 3, 2017 . May 11, 2023.
  4. Web site: Home . The Townhouse of New York . July 21, 2021 . May 15, 2023.
  5. News: Fisher . Marc . The Life Of a Trophy Boy . The Washington Post . July 25, 1997 . May 11, 2023.
  6. Web site: Dawson . Lamar . 82-Year-Old Owner of Legendary Sugar Daddy Cruising Bar Looks Back . Logo TV . November 1, 2018 . May 12, 2023.
  7. Web site: Dawson . Mark . It's a Helluva Townhouse . New York City, NY Patch . April 30, 2019 . May 11, 2023.
  8. Web site: Cook . Michael . With New York City’s Townhouse and Lips, Proprietor Paul Galluccio Helps Shape LGBT Nightlife . Instinct Magazine . January 16, 2019 . May 15, 2023.
  9. Web site: Hayden . John . Pet Project Board President Dies . South Florida Gay News . March 22, 2021 . May 12, 2023 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230512015419/https://southfloridagaynews.com/The-Gazette/pet-project-board-president-dies.html . May 12, 2023.
  10. Web site: These Gay Men Frequented Manhattan Piano Bars. So Did Their Killer. . Christopher . Bollen . The New York Times . March 7, 2021 . May 11, 2023.
  11. Web site: Bono . Sal . How the Bag Murders and the Last Call Killer Put in Focus the Dangers the New York LGBTQ+ Community Faces . Inside Edition . July 2, 2021 . May 11, 2023.
  12. Web site: Carroll . Tobias . Remembering the Victims of a Killer Who Haunted Gay New York in the Early '90s . Yahoo . April 9, 2021 . May 11, 2023.
  13. Web site: IN MEMORY OF RICK UNTERBERG . Covid Memorial Quilt – Remembering All Those Who’ve Died of COVID-19 . May 11, 2023.
  14. Web site: Grunlund . Maura . 'Last Call Killer' revisited: Richard Rogers of Staten Island trolled victims at gay bars in Manhattan . silive . February 13, 2019 . May 11, 2023.
  15. Web site: 'Real Housewives' star Luann de Lesseps says she's 'in recovery' after 'regrettable' incident . Joyann . Jeffrey . TODAY.com . 2022-03-19 . 2023-06-13.
  16. Web site: Assunção . Muri . LuAnn de Lesseps sorry for drunk incident at NYC gay bar . New York Daily News . 2022-03-19 . 2023-06-13.

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