ICONIC PORTLAND DRAG CLUB DARCELLE XV IS AT RISK OF CLOSING

The Oregonian reports that Darcelle XV Showplace, a beloved, longstanding Portland drag club, is at risk of shutting down due to poor attendance during its usual peak season. One of the co-hosts and performers at Darcelle XV, Kevin Cook, who performs under the name Poison Waters, told the publication that summer is often the busiest time of year for the club, but that this season has been an outlier. With fall rapidly approaching, it’s unclear how long the club will be able to sustain its business amid operational costs skyrocketing. Eater reached out to Darcelle XV Showplace for comment.

The risk of closure comes 16 months after the passing of Walter Rose, the former owner of the club who was better known as Darcelle XV. At the time of her death, Darcelle was the oldest working drag queen in the United States at 92 years old and had owned the club since 1967. When she bought the club, it was known as Demas Tavern — a neglected bar in Old Town Portland. Over the years, she transformed it first into a popular lesbian bar, before it became home to the longest continuously running drag show in the country.

On Wednesday, July 24, the 57-year-old club put out a plea for help from its Instagram account, reading, in part: “The time has come to make difficult decisions regarding the future of Darcelle XV Showplace. … Please come support our club, attend our shows, plan your celebrations with us and help spread the word far and wide that our club is nearing the unfortunate moment so many other small business have recently.” The post directed those who want to support the club to make a reservation or just come in for a show. No fundraiser has been set up for the time being. Under the post, fans of the club pledged to come in soon to support, and asked if there were ways to send the restaurant donations directly. On July 26, Darcelle XV posted a brief update to its Facebook page thanking the community for an outpouring of love and reaffirming its need for continued support.

The last few years have seen a slate of longstanding Portland queer bars close. In 2022, Crush Bar closed after more than 20 years open; prior years had seen the closures of Rebel Rebel, the Queen’s Head, and the Roxy.

2024-07-26T19:33:28Z dg43tfdfdgfd