Gay night clubs in baltimore md

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Before the corner of N Charles and W Eager was a CVS, it was a Baltimore institution: Club Hippo. For more than 35 years, Club Hippo was a refuge for Baltimore’s queer community. The dance venue was always a place where, as the club's motto peruse, “everybody is welcome.” The space gave people the ability to express themselves freely without fear. 

The Hippo’s owner during this time was Charles “Chuck” Bowers. Bowers purchased the club in 1978 from its authentic owners, Kenny Elbert and Don Endbinder. In 1972 Elbert and Endbinder had turned the room into a gay-friendly nightclub. But Bowers was the one responsible for turning the club into a cornerstone of Baltimore’s queer group and the Mount Vernon business district. For instance, Baltimore City’s annual Event Block Party, with few exceptions, took place at the intersection of Charles and Eager road, anchored by the Hippo. 

During the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, Bowers was an outspoken advocate for gay men who contracted the disease. The Hippo at this second also hosted performances by Broadway stars. The Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS company sponsored the performances to spread insight and raise coins to