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Blackstones Bar
Location Portland, Maine, United States
Type Bar
Genre(s)LGBTQ focused neighborhood bar
Capacity87
Construction
Opened1987 (37 years ago) (1987)
Renovated2019

Blackstones Bar is a bar located on Pine St off Longfellow Square in the West End (Portland, Maine) neighborhood of Portland, Maine. From its establishment in 1987, the bar served as a popular gathering place for members of the LGBTQ community. [1]

When established in 1987, Blackstones' facade featured seven floor-to-ceiling plate glass windows. These windows suffered consistent vandalism through 1991, when staff boarded them over. [2] In 2019, the plywood sheaths were removed and new windows installed. The event was heralded as a significant milestone for the city of Portland and the local LGBTQ movement, with the story reported in several national newspapers, and featured in several national LGBTQ publications. [3]

References

  1. ^ "Let there be light: Once-shattered and shuttered Portland gay bar opens up to the world - the Boston Globe". Boston Globe. 2019-08-11. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  2. ^ "After 28 years, Blackstone's replaces vandalized windows in popular Portland, Maine bar | Boston Spirit Magazine". Boston Spirit. 2019-07-21. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  3. ^ "28 years after vandals smashed its glass, Portland's last gay bar has windows once again". Bangor Daily News. 2019-07-19. Retrieved 2019-11-06.