40
— ourhistory— -
MAY 6. 2011
30 Years of XXX
W&2
CC Slaughters rings in
anniversary all summer long
BY RYAN J. PRADO
709 SE 122ND AVE.
PO RTLAN D OR. 97233
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2
L OCATI ONS
20625 SW T.v. HWY
ALO H A, OR. 97006
503.356.5624
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It was 30 years ago this month that John ics of the summer’s celebratory additions. The
Adams Sr. staked his claim amid Portland’s club’s transformation from a Pink Triangle
burgeoning gay nightlife scene in the notorious country/western bar to an Old Town hot spot
Pink Triangle district of Stark Street. His stands out as the most telling element of the
business—a gay country/western bar dubbed business’ longevity and success.
Adams Sr.’s vision of a booming gay night
CC Slaughters—was the first of its kind in the
city. The place quickly assumed the role of life scene in Portland was expanded in 1984
popular meeting spot not only for line-dancing when he opened The Eagle, as well as a sister
junkies, Wrangler-jean wearing gays and mus bar in Seattle, then also called CC Slaughters
tachioed macho men but also, as current enter but which has since changed to CC Attles and
tainment and marketing director David Pettit is in a redesign phase. However, Adams Sr.’s
death in 1995 constituted
explains, a must-visit for
“We’re
not
a
specific
drag
the three bars being split
“non-country” customers to
among his sons. John Ad
begin their evenings.
bar; we’re not a specific
ams Jr. took control over
“I was one of the twinks,
lesbian bar. Anybody who
CC Slaughters and The
one of the club trendies,”
comes
through
that
door
Eagle, but in 1998 he was
says Pettit, who’s been at
informed that the owners
C C ’s for a decade now. is welcome and will get the
of the Ben Stark Hotel
“But we’d all go to CC
same service as anybody—
building—which housed
Slaughters to start our
as
long
as
everybody
the club, now the Ace
night off. We’d get our su
Hotel—would not renew
per strong drinks, then pop remembers we’re a gay bar
C C ’s contract as part of a
over across the street to hit
and that’s our roots, and
revisioning of the area.
the other bars. C C ’s has
will
always
be.”
“It wasn’t really a choice,”
really always been like that.
The inclusion is a big, im
-DAVID PETTIT, explains Pettit. “It was back
ENTERTAINMENT & MARKETING then the people that were
portant thing for us.”
DIRECTOR, CC SLAUGHTERS
buying on Stark didn’t
The official 30th Year
Anniversary is May 21, but
want that clientele.”
C C ’s (219 NW Davis St.), having now long
Adams Jr. moved the club to Old Town,
been established as one of Portland’s—if not before the neighboring Pearl District blos
the West Coast’s—premier LGBTQclubs, has somed, gentrifying the area to include new
set aside the entire summer for celebrating. The businesses and new customers.
“XXX Summer of Fun” builds on the club’s al
“It was tough for many, many years,” says
ready stacked weekly calendar to feature big Pettit. “Slowly, the Pearl built up and started
nights every weekend through August, culmi building up with us. We ended up in the long
nating in this year’s Pride Block Party.
run having a good location.”
In anticipation of the 30-year festivities, Pet
W ith the new locale came the decision to
tit reflects on the evolution of CC Slaughters transition from the country bar aesthetic. Ad
while remaining somewhat mum on the specif ams Jr. dropped the country nights to once a
J
-------------------------------------------------------- H
Please join the Rose Court
along with Prince Stefan & Princess Cassie
for our 2011 Spring Ball:
rA n
^Enchanted
Saturday, May 14th
at the Embers
A n U nderw
are
F a s h io n S h o w
at C C S laughters
213 NW Davis, Portland
7:00pm
110 NW Broadway
Doors open at 5:00pm
at the Darcelle XV S h o w p ia c e
208 NW Third, Portland
5:00pm, $5 door
C
lo set
2
nd
B all
Ball at 6:00pm
$10 admission
o f ‘A nimated Princes dr Princesses
A
nnual
“C
it y o f
R o s e s " P a g e a n t
at the Darcelle XV S h o w p ia c e
208 NW Third, Portland
6:00pm, $5 door
Visit www RoseCourt.org for more up-to-date information on all of our events'