Camp Bar

490 N Robert St, St Paul, MN

Trixx Bar Advertisement. From Lavender Magazine, 2002

Gay bars use the Rossmor Building in downtown St. Paul like a revolving door—The Grand Finale, Rumours and Innuendo, Club Vogue, Rocky’s on 10th, and Trixx compose an almost-continuous list of queer use in the building since 1977. A former shoe factory, the structure’s attraction may be the result of queer migration. Gay and bisexual men first frequented the The Golden Rule/Emporium Department Stores and the Bremer Arcade at Robert Street and 7th. gay activity relocated just two blocks to the northwest when the department stores closed in the late 1970s and cruising took on a public visibility. The Rossmor has witnessed considerable change as well; beginning as a bohemian artist commune, it underwent a controversial renovation and is now the home to scores of upscale condominium lofts.(1) The space formerly occupied by Trixx “quietly” changed to camp in 2007.(2) It is indicative of the changing tastes in Minnesota’s queer community—gone is the era when a dance floor, liquor, and mere gay ownership was sufficient to keep a queer night spot afloat. Instead, bar owners must attract their patrons with cutting-edge décor, “handcrafted drinks,” and plush VIP lounges—the Brass Rail Bar and Happy Hour (part of the Gay 90s Complex) underwent similar renovations in the late 2000s.

In part, these changes accompany an evolving self-perception of gay and bisexual men. For, and at one time, queer men were victims of self-hatred, as they considered themselves mentally ill or sinful;(3) in the 1970s, 80s, and early 90s, gay men adopted a hyper-masculine style to prove that they were “real men;”(4) presently, some queer people have adopted self-perceptions as urban arbiters of style and taste. Changes aside, Camp adopts an unassuming demeanor. In a youtube video on the Camp website, owner Bill Collins says “Promise you you’re gonna have a really good time. And don’t you really need a drink or something to eat anyway?”(5)

Camp advertisement in Lavender Magazine, shortly after opening in 2007.

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(1) Gihring, Tim. "Crawl Spaces: The Art of Doing the St. Paul Art Crawl." Minnesota Monthly, April 2007.

(2) "Take Back the Nightlife: The GLBT Bar scene is Experiencing a Renaissance -Just in Time for Pride." The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, special "PRIDE 2007" Issue. 6/21/2007

(3) Russell, Paul. The Gay 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Gay Men and Lesbians, Past and Present. New York: Kensington Books, 2002. Page xvii.

(4) Patterson, Eric. On Brokeback Mountain: Meditations About Masculinity, Fear, and Love in the story and the Film. Maryland: Lexington Books, 2008. Page 62.

(5) http://www.camp-bar.net/about

Part of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: 100 Queer Places in Minnesota History, (1860-1969), (1969-2010)