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    HomeNewsWest Hollywood Adds New Gay Bar with OR Bar WeHo Opening this...

    West Hollywood Adds New Gay Bar with OR Bar WeHo Opening this Week

    The City of West Hollywood welcomes a new gay bar. OR Bar WeHo, located at 8228 Santa Monica Blvd., is having a soft opening this week on Thursday, December 15, 2022, from 6pm-12pm. Co-owner Stephanie Schestag, tells WEHO TIMES there has been no press release announcing their opening and that they may stay open later “depending on how the night goes.”

    Or Bar WeHo – Photo by Paulo Murillo for WEHO TIMES
    Or Bar WeHo – Photo by Paulo Murillo for WEHO TIMES

    The highly anticipated reincarnation of the former Gold Coast Bar space had a soft opening earlier this week. On Wednesday night, the owners hosted a special preview for friends and family who had a first hand experience of the space.

    Fashion Police co-host George Kotsiopoulos teamed up with Circus of Books owner Rob Novinger and Fire Hot Yoga founder Schestag, to open the new gay bar that literally means “Gold” in French–a nod to the beloved Gold Coast space which closed for good in September 2020 after serving the community for 39 years.

    Or Bar WeHo – Photo by Mike Pingel for WEHO TIMES
    Or Bar WeHo – Photo by Mike Pingel for WEHO TIMES

    According to Novinger, they were hoping to open in early September, but there were engineering and supply chain issues that delayed their opening by roughly three months. “Believe it or not, we’re not waiting on anything from the city,” Rob Novinger said back in August. “In West Hollywood, they’ve been really good with working with us. They want new business. They welcome new business. They roll out the red carpet. In LA, it’s like three or four months to get approved. West Hollywood had everything approved within two weeks.”

    Or Bar WeHo – Photo by Mike Pingel for WEHO TIMES

    He said equipment that was ordered in January of this year had been held back even though they were manufactured in the U.S. He hoped the bar would open by Labor Day, but instead, they are opening in time for the holidays and the upcoming New Year’s Eve celebration.

    The new West Hollywood bar has been completely revamped and hopes to cater to a more upscale clientele. It is being billed as a gay bar by the owners who have acknowledged the history of the space and are not shying away from the cruisy reputation of the infamous Vaseline Alley located in their backyard.

    “We don’t want gay bars to become obsolete,” Kotsiopoulos told Variety when he announced his latest endeavor last year. “We’re passionate about making sure we still have safe places for community.”

    “It’s going to be fun,” Novinger told WEHO TIMES this past summer. “It’s not going to be what it was, but it’s not going to be snooty. It’s going to be cool, 70s, 80s, trashy, cocaine chic. It will be funny.”

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    Paulo Murillo
    Paulo Murillohttps://wehotimes.com
    Paulo Murillo is Editor in Chief and Publisher of WEHO TIMES. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. Murillo began his professional writing career as the author of “Love Ya, Mean It,” an irreverent and sometimes controversial West Hollywood lifestyle column for FAB! newspaper. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications, which include the “Hot Topic” column in Frontiers magazine, where he covered breaking news and local events in West Hollywood. He can be reached at [email protected]

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    Rlc
    Rlc
    Offline
    11 months ago

    The place has Tom Ford @ Gucci style with Hermes prices!

    radii
    radii
    Offline
    11 months ago

    yet another ‘wrong way betty’ move for weho … they could have slapped up plywood and reclaimed furniture and just played good music and kept it dark and had affordable drinks and it would have done well … instead more of the Beverly Hills East cancer spreading in the neighborhood – it’ll be gone in less than 2 years

    Rlc
    Rlc
    Offline
    11 months ago

    The bar has a Tom Ford at Guccivine with Hermes prices.

    RLC
    RLC
    Offline
    11 months ago

    What are the hours? Please open early.

    Kevin
    Kevin
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    11 months ago

    As long as it has dive bar prices and drinks, it should do well.

    TomSmart
    TomSmart
    Offline
    11 months ago

    “Hey Hey Hey” ~ Rerun

    Dean
    Dean
    Offline
    11 months ago

    Too expensive! $24 cocktails, wow. This part of town really doesn’t need a high end bar. We need a comfy neighbourhood bar

    Johnjx
    Johnjx
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    11 months ago

    “…it’s not going to be snooty” — really?

    hunter
    hunter
    Offline
    11 months ago

    Is OR really a gay bar for men and lesbians or is it a queer, trans, BIPOC for bridge and tunnel crowd?

    Wakie wakie
    Wakie wakie
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    Reply to  hunter
    11 months ago

    The instant I saw the words “gay bar” I knew someone was going to call them out for not being inclusive. Do you honestly believe they are not queer, trans, BIPC because they call it gay? Gay used to be all encompassing. I’m so sick of the policing of language that demands special spaces for special cases. It’s a gay bar! All are welcome. Well, in this case, all with money are encouraged.

    Jja
    Jja
    Offline
    11 months ago

    Looks gorgeous!

    Weho artist
    Weho artist
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    11 months ago

    Does anyone notice how people will complain about ANYTHING in this city? Whether it’s a new restaurant, gym, bar, or whatever. They will find a reason to complain.

    So pathetic.

    Welcome, OR Bar!

    Enough!
    Enough!
    Offline
    Reply to  Weho artist
    11 months ago

    I didn’t complain..just made an observation (if you don’t know the difference, look it up). We are oversaturated with bars. But they did a nice job and I wish them luck. Now go about your day and move on.

    Last edited 11 months ago by Enough!
    Wakie wakie
    Wakie wakie
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    Reply to  Weho artist
    11 months ago

    People will complain if it becomes a Pottery Barn. People will complain if the building is torn down. People will complain if it’s another bar and if they want a bar they will complain it does not meet their expectations. People complain. They complain if the bar is not maintained and insert some sort of victimhood about how gay people are marginalized and not good enough. And if upgraded they will complain about gentrification if the bar becomes too upscale for them. People are unhappy, so they complain.

    Weho artist
    Weho artist
    Offline
    11 months ago

    The one thing this city DOES NEED is a new beautiful bar!

    Enough!
    Enough!
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    Reply to  Weho artist
    11 months ago

    yes, desperately needed. Thank God they opened. Hallelujah! Now, instead of walking 50 feet to find a bar, I only have to walk 10.

    Last edited 11 months ago by Enough!
    Enough!
    Enough!
    Offline
    11 months ago

    The one thing this city does NOT need is ANOTHER BAR…but at least they fixed up the place and made it pretty. Best of luck to them. Congrats.

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