The Double Header

The Double Header was a gay bar and nightlife establishment at 407 2nd Avenue South in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood, Washington. It opened in 1934 under Joseph Bellotti Sr., replacing a merchant marine bar that had previously occupied the premises. The venue became associated with Seattle's LGBTQ history and was widely described as one of the oldest continuously operating gay bars in the United States. The building also housed The Casino, a gay dance club in its basement, from the 1930s through the 1950s. The Casino was known as a gathering place for drag performers. During the 1950s, the basement operation was converted into a diner, while the more openly LGBTQ-friendly social environment associated with The Casino gradually influenced the identity of the upstairs Double Header. The bar was frequented by both gay men and lesbians, a relatively unusual feature of nightlife establishments in that period. Joseph Bellotti Jr., the founder's son, became the proprietor during the 1960s. Under the Bellotti family, the establishment remained a long-running presence in Pioneer Square. Its location, just south of Yesler Way and near the Smith Tower, later placed it close to major bus routes and the Pioneer Square transit station, which opened in 1990. The Double Header's role as a center of gay nightlife declined as Seattle's LGBTQ community increasingly moved from Pioneer Square toward Capitol Hill during the 1970s. Rising housing and commercial costs in Pioneer Square contributed to that geographic shift. By its later years, the venue was no longer generally regarded as a gay bar, although its historical association with Seattle's LGBTQ community remained central to its legacy. Bellotti Jr. retired and closed the establishment in December 2015. The building was sold in March 2016 for US$4.2 million, with Ewing & Clark handling the transaction. A potential buyer reportedly intended to convert the property into a live-music venue while retaining the Double Header name and visual regalia, but the available reference material does not establish that the proposed redevelopment was completed. The historic bar is therefore treated as defunct.

The Double Header was established in 1934 at 407 2nd Avenue South in Seattle's Pioneer Square. Joseph Bellotti Sr. founded the establishment after taking over premises previously occupied by a merchant marine bar. Its early history was closely connected to The Casino, a gay dance club operating in the building's basement from the 1930s to the 1950s. The Casino attracted drag queens and helped create an LGBTQ-friendly social environment in the building. When the basement was converted into a diner during the 1950s, that atmosphere gradually became associated with the upstairs Double Header. The bar's customer base included gay men and lesbians. This mixed LGBTQ clientele was notable for the era, when many nightlife venues were more narrowly segregated by gender, identity, or social group. The Double Header consequently became part of the informal network of LGBTQ gathering places in Seattle and was later remembered as one of the country's longest-running gay bars. Joseph Bellotti Jr., the founder's son, assumed ownership during the 1960s and continued operating the establishment for decades. The venue remained in Pioneer Square as the neighborhood changed around it. During the 1970s, increasing rents and changing urban patterns contributed to the movement of Seattle's LGBTQ community away from Pioneer Square and north toward Capitol Hill, across Interstate 5. As the center of gay nightlife shifted, the Double Header's role also changed. By its final period it was no longer generally considered a gay bar, although its historical importance to Seattle LGBTQ culture persisted. The location benefited from substantial transportation access. It stood near Smith Tower, one block south of the tower, and later sat beside Pioneer Square's transit infrastructure. Pioneer Square station opened in 1990, while local and intercity bus services stopped nearby. These connections made the address a visible and accessible part of the downtown entertainment district. Bellotti Jr. eventually retired, and the bar closed in December 2015. In March 2016, the building was sold for US$4.2 million, with the Ewing & Clark real estate group handling the transaction. Ewing & Clark president Tom Graff said that a letter of intent had been signed by an unnamed prospective buyer. The proposed plan involved converting the building into a live-music venue while retaining the Double Header name and regalia. The available reference does not confirm that this plan came to fruition. The original establishment is therefore recorded as closed and defunct.

• 2016

  The building is sold

  [1]The Double Headeren.wikipedia.org

  The property is sold for US$4.2 million, with a proposed conversion into a live-music venue.

• 2015

  The bar closes

  [1]The Double Headeren.wikipedia.org

  Joseph Bellotti Jr. retires and The Double Header closes in December.

• 1990

  Pioneer Square station opens nearby

  [1]The Double Headeren.wikipedia.org

  The opening of Pioneer Square station adds major transit access near the venue.

• 1970

  Seattle's LGBTQ nightlife shifts toward Capitol Hill

  [1]The Double Headeren.wikipedia.org

  Rising costs and neighborhood change help move the center of Seattle's LGBTQ community from Pioneer Square toward Capitol Hill.

• 1960

  Joseph Bellotti Jr. takes ownership

  [1]The Double Headeren.wikipedia.org

  The founder's son assumes ownership during the 1960s and continues the family operation.

• 1950

  The basement is converted into a diner

  [1]The Double Headeren.wikipedia.org

  The Casino's former basement space is converted into a diner, while the social atmosphere associated with it increasingly influences the Double Header.

• 1934

  The Double Header opens

  [1]The Double Headeren.wikipedia.org

  Joseph Bellotti Sr. establishes the bar at 407 2nd Avenue South in Seattle's Pioneer Square after replacing a merchant marine bar.

• 1930

  The Casino operates in the basement

  [1]The Double Headeren.wikipedia.org

  The Casino functions as a gay dance club and becomes associated with drag performers and an LGBTQ-friendly atmosphere.

A historic Seattle nightlife venue whose identity developed from a neighborhood bar into an important LGBTQ-associated gathering place, particularly in the mid-20th century.

• Bar and nightlife venue · 1934

  The Double Header bar

  The primary establishment was a Pioneer Square bar serving as a social and nightlife venue. Over time it became strongly associated with Seattle's LGBTQ community, welcoming both gay men and lesbians and retaining a reputation as one of the city's longest-running gay bars.

• Dance club · 1930

  The Casino

  The Casino was a gay dance club located in the building's basement from the 1930s to the 1950s. It was particularly associated with drag queens and helped establish the LGBTQ-friendly culture later connected with The Double Header. The space was subsequently converted into a diner.

• 2016

  Proposed conversion into a live-music venueStrategy

  Background

  Following the closure, the building was offered for sale and a prospective buyer expressed interest in reusing the property.

  Action taken

  The proposed plan was to convert the building into a live-music venue while retaining the Double Header name and regalia.

  Aftermath

  The available reference confirms the proposal but does not establish whether the conversion was completed.

  Building sale price. US$4.2 million (March 2016)

  Source

• 2015

  Closure following proprietor's retirementOther

  Background

  After more than eight decades of operation, proprietor Joseph Bellotti Jr. retired.

  Action taken

  The Double Header closed in December 2015.

  Aftermath

  The closure ended the operation of the historic bar, although the building and its name remained subjects of a subsequent redevelopment proposal.

  Source

1. 1The Double Headeren.wikipedia.org