25 Images of a Shuttered West Coast Gay Party Palace

Back in 1975, the Circus disco opened up on a shabby stretch of L.A.'s Santa Monica Boulevard, a few miles east of West Hollywood's infamous "Boystown" area. The Circus offered something back then that many WeHo clubs at the time didn't: access for non-white patrons. The cavernous space welcomed Latinos, Asians, African-Americans, and whites to dance, party, and eat bacon-wrapped hot dogs. There was certainly a nod to the body beautiful, but all sizes and types felt welcome.

Now, like many gay clubs around the world, the Circus has closed, soon to be replaced by upscale apartments. Before the warehouse space that housed the disco is torn down, preservationists are pushing for either the building to be protected or for the developer to maintain some of its history or imagery, like the unforgettable entrance. Just in case that doesn't happen, we have these photos to relive and remember one of the country's best party palaces.

All images via Yelp