The image of Annie Lennox was used in a Dallas Observer article from 2012. After it became illegal, Woodall’s battle with law enforcement intensified every year until he closed the club.ĭ Magazine ran an article in 2013 as did the NY Times in 2014. Some have said this club was the main reason Ecstasy was made illegal in 1985. Woodall ultimately shut it down as he had become the target of the DEA and raids by law enforcement. Our mystery topic club lasted until 1988 or 1989 (depending on the source). It was his job to haul famous guests over to the club. Thomas Haden Church, a student at North Texas State, worked the concierge desk at the Adolphus back in the mid-80s. The music was cutting edge and worthy of note – if a song played at the club got airplay on the radio, it was dropped from rotation at the club immediately. Bar Raids Bar Fires & Arson Article on Texas Bar History in Houston and Dallas, Texas Triangle, 7/17/97 Article on Houston Bars, TX Triangle, 11/80 General Article 1985, on the Bars as part of the community, and the organization HOBO. The club was known for bringing together gay and straight, black and white, rich and poor. The club was in a seedy neighborhood, where Ecstasy (legal in 1984) was handed out freely.
![dallas gay bars 80s dallas gay bars 80s](https://img.texasmonthly.com/2020/07/sue-ellens-dallas-interior.jpg)
Woodall came from money (oven range hood money – it’s a thing, I guess) and set out to hire a top-notch French designer (Philippe Starck, hence the club’s name) to make this club come to fruition. The club had been dreamt up by a Dallas-ite named Blake Woodall. Stevie Nicks (an investor) and Grace Jones were there on opening night.
DALLAS GAY BARS 80S FREE
Mystery solved! The question was posed: What do Grace Jones, Annie Lennox, Stevie Nicks, Thomas Haden Church, free ecstasy and an abandoned building in the armpit of highways 30 and 35 have in common?Īnswer: The Starck Club at 703 McKinney Avenue (which has been closed since the late 80’s – a club called Zouk has most recently been in this location).