I also host, promote, and photograph several parties there (remember those?). From drag shows to dance parties, Precinct attracted many of LA's contemporary nightlife legends; self-dubbed "rock and roll gay bar" is a space for leather, drag, and bears of all races, genders, nonbinary, and self-identities.
Brian McIntire and Thor Stephens opened the Precinct in the Spring of 2015. It was the first Downtown Los Angeles gay bar to open in nearly two decades. Not only is Precinct the largest gay bar downtown, but it was also crucial to downtown Los Angeles' queer renaissance and redevelopment. Alongside other downtown queer/alternative spaces and institutions like Redline, New Jalisco, The Lash, and DTLA Proud, Precinct is part of a family of inclusiveness and love that is needed more than ever.
In 2018 the Precinct and local queer community mourned the death of owner Thor Stephens. The community came together with his husband and co-owner Brian Mcintire at the bar in a "celebration of life" ceremony. The Precinct is not just a bar or a restaurant or a dance club; it represents family, love, community just as much as it is Thor's legacy to the downtown queer family.
Now they face the real possibility of losing that space for good due to COVID shutdowns. Precinct needs your help to survive. You can support by donating directly to the GoFundMe page and sharing SavePrecinct.com with your friends and followers. All profits from the Precinct merch will also benefit the Save Precinct fundraiser, including the Faces of Precinct calendar featuring my photography.
