City Night Club - 1st location - SW
SW 647 SW 13th [1st location for The City Night Club]
Years: September 3, 1983 - February 26, 1987
Per the Willamette Week under The Slice by Katherine Dunn December 26, 1984 page 6 describes the City Nightclub, “The City is a strobe and disco joint catering to the underage crowd. The place has been open for about a year and draws some punk and new wave kiddies who may not know what sleaze they’re wading in.” Below Left ad June 1985. Below Right ad November 1986.
Continuing the conversation with Lanny Swerdlow on October 23, 2021, “Soon we added a lounge with no liquor called HollyRock # 4 Lounge” [July 18, 1986].
In Just Out newspaper, August 1986 an article appeared CITY NIGHTCLUB OPENS HOLLYROCK LOUNGE “Young men and women in Levi’s and tank tops, people in all styles and manners of black outfits, new wave aficionados in futuristic hairstyles and ‘60s clothing, were all part of the large, eclectic crowd of gay people gathered on Friday, July 18 to celebrate the opening of The Chy Nightclub’s new dance section, The Hollyrock Lounge. With Illusions of infinity created by the ten-foot mirrors on opposite sides of the intimate dance floor, the new dance section boasts its own D.J., sound system, light show, and seating area and features new wave and progressive music.
The City Nightclub is a non-alcohol club that caters to people in the gay community who are under as well as over 21 years of age. According to owner-manager Lanny Swerdlow, “There will be no increase in our standard cover charge with the addition of the Hollyrock Lounge dance area. You can go from one party to the other without ever having to leave the club. The City Nightclub is located at 624 S.W. 13th between Morrison and Alder in downtown Portland. Additional Information: 224-CITY”
· Listed in Orange folder FALL 1983 and revised in 1987– Answering Service – possibly like the resource directory developed by the Counseling Center for Sexual Minorities Referral and Resources Book and what has been used with their revised April 1, 1980, edition. This place was cited under Men’s Bars with written notes: Straights, mixed, M&F, drugs
· First listed in Damron Address Book/Address Guide 1985 (Teenyboppers) (No booze) (AH) (Disco) (D-Dancing) (WE) 13th/SW Morrison
· listed in Damron Address Book/Address Guide 1986 (Teenyboppers) (No booze) (AH) (Disco) (D-Dancing) (WE) 13th/SW Morrison
· listed in Damron Address Book/Address Guide 1987 (Teenyboppers) (No booze) (AH) (Disco) (D-Dancing) (WE) 13th/SW Morrison
· listed in Damron Address Book/Address Guide 1988 (Teenyboppers) (No booze) (AH) (Disco) (D-Dancing) (WE) 13th/SW Morrison
· listed in Damron Address Book/Address Guide 1989 (Teenyboppers) (No booze) (AH) (Disco) (D-Dancing) (WE) 13th/SW Morrison
Around late 1986 or early 1987, it moved to 13 NW 13th.
Below are images from Lanny Swerdlow’s files.
Per email from Lanny Swerdlow 10/9/2021 1st location - 647 SW 13th at Morrison in the Danmore Hotel Bldg.
Photo upper Left and Right from https://pdxbuildingads.blogspot.com/2008/10/danmore-hotel.html
Danmoore Hotel was built in 1912 (west half) and 1924 (east half).
Per History – First Presbyterian Church of Portland (firstpresportland.org) https://www.firstpresportland.org/about-us/history/ In 1987 A group of members of First Church purchase the Danmoore Hotel, located adjacent to the church property. These members create the Twelfth Avenue Investment Corporation and donate the stock in the corporation to the church. Early 1990s A number of church members are instrumental in planning and building the Alder House on church property. Up until now, the Danmoore has been offered to Central City Concern rent-free for use as housing for low-income and addicted persons. The Alder House is designed to provide replacement housing for residents of the Danmoore when the hotel is planned for further development by the church. (In) 2001 The Jubilee campaign raises funds for the construction of a three-level underground parking facility and a surface-level plaza. Ten percent of all monies pledged for the campaign are earmarked for mission causes. Current residents of the Danmoore are relocated to a new facility developed by Central City Concern and Portland Development Commission. (2006) The new garage and the plaza are dedicated on March 19, 2006.
Per the ad below. The grand opening for The City Nightclub at 624 SW 13th is set for September 3, 1983. Per conversation with Lanny Swerdlow on October 23, 2021, “I had a 5 years lease. With no sign out front, people came. It was on the main level, we added a terrific sound system. It had a small stage and we continued to do our drag shows. We did not have the lit dance floor here, we’d put it in storage after leaving The Metropolis and later installed it at NW 13th.”
The second ad below is a flyer announcing the 1st Anniversary of The City Nightclub - “Exposure Yourself” A take-off on a 1978 poster showing Portland Mayor Bud Clark with a raincoat open flashing a nude woman sculpture.
Then, on Sunday February 26, believed to be 1987, a “Closing Night Party” at 624 SW 13th per flyer below.
Per a Willamette Week article entitled In The City The Story of Portland's Original all-ages gay nightclub. August 26, 2014 https://www.wweek.com/portland/article-22975-in-the-city.html, “The first iteration of the City opened in 1983, in the carcass of an old motel on Southwest Morrison Street. "It wasn't fancy, by any means," Schaefer says. "It was just sort of thrown together." Still, kids came out in droves, dancing to the Pet Shop Boys and Dead or Alive and more specialized selections, like singles recorded by the drag star Divine. "I used to sit in the club in the corner by myself," says Alex Broderson, who ended up becoming the City's in-house DJ. "I'd listen to the music and go home. I did that for three or four months." It wasn't the only entertainment option in town for the under-21 crowd. But for Portland's outcasts, the club was less a nightspot than a second home—and in some cases, their only home. "Lanny treated everyone like they were his own kids," Schaefer says. "Sometimes, if we didn't have a place to go, or it got bad enough, he'd let some kids stay in the club overnight."
Check out a college paper written by Kelsie Collins - click here to read.