NORTHWEST GAY REVIEW
Years: February 1974 [first issue taking over from The Fountain] last issue is believed to be – 1982.
LOCATIONS OF PUBLICATION:
There are two locations mentioned for this newspaper:
118 West Burnside Street Portland OR 97209 [almost directly across from 215 West Burnside] 1st issue, February 1974 states that it is published by the Historical Outlet Center, 118 West Burnside Street, Portland OR 97209] [It is stated that the offices for the newspaper was at The Old Saint George Hotel that was operated by Lanny and Neil, that is incorrect, the offices were located at 215 W Burnside, then later moved across the street to The Old Saint George Hotel. However, in the May 1974 issue, (4th issue printed) it states “Northwest Gay Review is published by the Historical Outlet Center, 118 West Burnside Street, Portland OR 97209.] Below Left ad was in Old Portland Today newspaper June 1, 1975.
In the March 1976 issue, Northwest Gay Review is published by Economy Typesetting and Design, Inc. 215 West Burnside Street Portland OR 97209. Editor: Lanny Swerdlow. Also, the above Right was on the back page of that issue and it showed that the offices had changed.
ISSUES OF THIS PUBLICATION:
In the February 1977 – 3rd Anniversary issue these stories were posted:
“Our First Issue – February 1974”
First “Tabloid” issue – October 1974
First “Anniversary” issue – February 1975.
First “Format” issue – July-August 1975.
History/Story: Check out Northwest Gay Review's February 1977 issue – the story about Northwest Gay Review.
Per the book, A Curious and Peculiar People page 201, “Lanny Swerdlow and Neil Hutchins ceased producing the NW Gay Review in 1982. Neil then began publishing the Cascade Voice.”
It appears that the 215 W Burnside address later became the Alexis Greek Restaurant which opened in 1981 and closed in 2016. photo below by Zomato – www.bing.com
Interesting facts:
Randy Shilts at that time a University of Oregon graduate was the “Regional News Editor” for Eugene as stated in the June 1975 issue. He later would write the book And The Band Played On about the AIDS crisis.
The company name for publishing the newspaper was the Historical Outlet Center. It also published a Portland Old Town newspaper called Old Portland Today. However, checking with the Oregon Secretary of State Corporation Division neither Historical Outlet Center, Old Portland Today[See above Right per Old Portland Today, June 15, 1974] nor Northwest Gay Review were registered.
Lanny stated during the interview that the offices of Northwest Gay Review also did outside work usually for the store Import Plaza which was just blocks away. “We had the layout equipment they didn’t have so we set up a lot of their ads.” The Import Plaza was a store owned by a prominent Asian family, The Naito’s. An ad in the Northwest Gay Review February 1977 issue confirms Lanny on this.
This was a monthly published newspaper in Portland Oregon and then was distributed in Seattle and Spokane.
Lanny left the newspaper as he was becoming focused on his new adventure, an underage night club entitled Mildred’s Palace which after exhausting renovation. Per Lanny, “making a run-down ballroom and painting 27-foot ceilings to make it inhabitable.” Mildred’s Palace opened on Friday, June 24, 1977.
Confusion on to how long the Northwest Gay Review lasted was it 1977 or 1982?
Neil would then publish another newspaper, the Cascade Voice.
Per GLPAN website: Northwest Gay Review
In February 1974, Lanny Swerdlow and Neil Hutchins started a new monthly publication called the Northwest Gay Review. Their holding company was named Historical Outlet Center. It also published a Portland Old Town newspaper called Old Portland Today.
Lanny recalls that Northwest Gay Review was published monthly and was supported largely by ad revenue. Eventually, it sold at 50¢ a copy through vendor boxes in bars or on the street, but also in adult bookstores over the counter.
The publication covered both Oregon and Washington. Like the Fountain, it included both social and political news. I worked for the Northwest Gay Review from the start but left in about July of 1974 to get a full-time job. Lanny told me that he continued publishing it until 1977 when he left to spend his time managing Mildred’s Palace, a Portland all-ages gay club he had started. He gave the newspaper to a man and a woman who had worked for him. It continued for two issues after that and then discontinued publishing. [written by George Nicola]