Club 1220

Club 1220 - beloved by many as a gay Cheers - is celebrating its 40th Anniversary.

Originally named The Hub, the club opened through the financial backing of gay brothers Jon and Steve Crovo's parents on December 16, 1976. The Crovos have seen a kaleidoscopic rainbow pass through their doors at 1220 Pine Street in Walnut Creek over the last four decades.

"I think about all of the people that used to walk through that door that aren't here anymore. It's been an incredible journey," said owner Jon Crovo. "I found my safe place at this bar. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world that my parents helped open a gay bar for me and my brother. I didn't have to pretend I was someone I wasn't. I will never be able to repay being able to live my life openly from a young age."

Originally, the club was going to open in Pleasant Hill, but when the city learned of their plans they passed an ordinance, effectively keeping them out. Walnut Creek was the only city where the Crovos were able to meet with the City Detective and Police Chief and put all their plans on the table.

"The Chief called San Francisco and Oakland and asked them what problems they had with gay bars. They said there were none, all problems at gay bars were dealt with in house," said Crovo. "No one wanted trouble then because no one wanted their name in the paper!"

The Chief gave them five stipulations to open, including no drag shows, separate urinal stalls, and no same-sex dancing (which was illegal in California at the time). The Hub opened as a piano bar. Within two years a mirror ball was placed on the ceiling as a warning sign: when it stopped it meant the police were coming.

It was amazing to see so many gay people come together in the suburban East Bay.

"No one would come from San Francisco to Walnut Creek, so our clientele was all from the East Bay. It was eye-popping in the '70s to see so many gays in the East Bay and have it be wall to wall in here," said Crovo. "That was the biggest shock to us and our parents."

Over the years, there have been many memorable events at the bar. During the Briggs Initiative fight, Harvey Milk agreed to a debate with Briggs in Walnut Creek. When the Crovos found out Milk was coming to town, they called his office and asked him to make an appearance.

After the debate ended, Harvey Milk arrived. He was immediately moved to see a mix of both men and women inside -virtually unheard of in the '70s. Milk got on a bar stool and said, "I look on this crowd and San Francisco and its people have a lot to learn. This is what our rainbow looks like."

"My Dad said everyone must be welcome here, no exceptions, so that's how we ran things," said Crovo. "That speech by Milk was the most poignant moment we ever had here."

Defending a Home

The early years were a constant fight, with the clientele getting beat up and the windows smashed. The Crovos took out the windows, operated without a sign in the front of the building and built a rock wall fortress to protect the bar. Spotters were outside looking for the cops and there were car lot monitors. The bar became known as the black door behind 7-11.

When the front doorman and Steve Crovo got stabbed, it was a turning point.

"The Walnut Creek police told us: 'Don't give up on what you've got here, we will back you 100%.' We never had a problem with the police again. I had to work to convince the clientele the cops would actually protect us," said Crovo.

The early AIDS years transformed the club into a de facto community center.

"We were shell-shocked. I lost seven staff in the first two years," Crovo added. "The bar became a safe rallying place to find out what was going on with AIDS, for anyone who was supporting a family, before and after the funeral."

The Club was now focused on saving men. Committees were formed to pick up families from airports and tell them what was happening with their sons. The first heterosexuals at the bar were the loved ones of friends who had died.

"One Mom just fell in love with gay men through coming here," said Crovo. "She wished she had known her son. Two worlds started meshing one person at a time."

In the early 1990s there was more competition from two new gay bars that opened in Walnut Creek. The Crovos' father decided to sell his businesses, including the Club. He didn't want the brothers to keep going, as the other bars had taken away most of their business. But Jon and Steve were determined to continue. They bought it, remodeled and reopened as Club 1220.

The other gay bars in town closed around 2000. By the time of the economy crash in 2008, big changes were once again underway at the club.

"We can no longer stay exclusively as a gay bar. No matter what, we have to keep readjusting to the times. The Internet wiped out probably 50% of the gay bar business. I'm staying open by thinking outside the box and welcoming gay-friendly people here as well," said Crovo. "Gay bars not wanting straight people are committing suicide I think. We have to be careful, as a minority, of reverse discrimination."

Many patrons consider the bar a special place.

"I first came here when I was 25. This is now the only gay bar on this side of the Caldecott," said patron David Mifflin. "What I love about this place is Jon's showing Walnut Creek you can have a historically gay establishment and an office party can come here and see we're not so different from anybody sense."

Since the recent Presidential election, the Club has started getting nasty calls and threats for the first time in many years.

"The cops said to us, 'You are loved downtown. No one is driving anyone out of Walnut Creek,' said Crovo. "There was a lot of fear at World AIDS Day at the Club this year; we don't know what we're in for. We've been through a lot in 40 years, and we once again need to come together."

The Club now has regular programming throughout the week, including karaoke, gay bingo and Jazz Sundays, all of which are bringing new people to visit.

Business is up 25% from a year ago. And the Club finally erected a sign outside the building.

"Being a young lesbian in the East Bay, 1220 was a place you didn't have to come out. You could just come here and be yourself," said patron Angela Castro. "I love this place, I never felt judged or felt it was only a gay man's bar. It's my gay Cheers."

The Anniversary fun starts on Friday, Dec 16 from noon to 2 am. Drinks will be at 1976 prices with no cover. On Saturday, Dec 17 there will be a VIP Reception at 2 pm.

www.club1220.com