Comments on: Brass Rail reopens: Goodbye Grungy Bathrooms, Hello Luxury

By: Jerry

Jerry — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:14:05 +0000

I know I’m dating myself, but prior to the Rail being sold to the owners of the Saloon, it was a nice, clean, piano bar. I miss having Marguerite there on an evening, greeting the patrons as if they were her kids and David Powell at the piano.

The downward slide started years ago. Too bad there wasn’t some way to maintain it as a pleasant, “neighborhood” bar.

By: millie

millie — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:43:19 +0000

went there the other night – most of what these critical comments said were true. boring and grandiose in their attempt to do “new york chic” – i don’t see this place open for very long.
and what’s with all these overpriced upscale gay bars opening up right now during a recession anyway? denial anyone?

By: mink stole

mink stole — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:16:40 +0000

y’all suburban upstanding HRC gays have plenty of other places to go. let the rest of us queers and freaks have our spots.

By: loving the new rail

loving the new rail — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:47:09 +0000

Wow….. I am completely impressed that the Brass Rail is no longer one giant health code violation. These comments on here are killing me though. People complaining about the lack of public sex, and smell, and circle jerks….how much more stereotypical can we get. Only straight people deserve nice places to go? Really? The one that really got me was the assumption that only Black people wear Tennis shoes and Jeans.
The facts are the facts…….The new owners OWN the Rail now…they could have done whatever they wanted….turned it straight, even turned it into a parking lot…… If the old patrons were able to support the old business with their frequency of handjobs at the urinals…then maybe the old owners would never have lost the business……..As an old patron and a new one, I am already noticing, that for every “regular” that doesn’t return, there are 5 new people to take their place…..I’m thankful to the new owners for giving me a new beautiful relaxing place to go and be gay….and not giving Augies a new parking lot…. Get a grip people…if you like Dives you can still go to the 19…but you better hurry, , I heart it is for sale as well……seems the people that frequent dive bars , don’t have the sense of loyality it takes to keep them open. Just my opinion.

By: Scott Larson

Scott Larson — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:12:03 +0000

Forgive me for speaking my mind. So I guess free speach is not an option any more.

Yes, I live in a suburb.
Yes, I am educated.
Yes, I am born and raised in the Midwest.
Yes, I like to think we deserve a NICE chic gay bar.

Maybe the owner should have just left the bar closed. The clientele that frequented the place prior to it’s closing couldn’t support it enough to keep it open, so it’s obvious the owner made a decision to clean it up, spend some money and make it safe (afterall, we all can agree that the only thing supporting the floor was the filthy carpeting). What is so wrong with having nice things? I mean, seriously!
btw…I’ve never participated in a “circle jerk” and at least I have the savvy to travel to New York and can afford to do so. Elitist Homos like me go out and spend money at bars, which keeps them in business!

By: Babs Johnson

Babs Johnson — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:13:10 +0000

Do you bitch when you go to Olive Garden or TGIFridays or Figlio?

Answer: Yes, Those places are disgusting

The thing I hate about Minneapolis is air head homos like you Scott. White suburban males who want to have a circle jerk to their upscale New York fantasies. Part of living in the midwest is a love of the dive bar. If you are dying for that “new York feeling bar” move to New York and do us all a favor.

PS F**k you for thinking racism is some sort of “scam” or “joke”

By: Scott Larson

Scott Larson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:24:33 +0000

OMG! This is the stuff I hate about Minneapolis. That damn racist card always shows it’s ugly head when somebody doesn’t get their way. Now granted, I have pulled the “HOMO” card from time to time, but usually to protect myself.
A dress code is a nice thing. I have worked around this beautiful country at more than 10 bars and a dress code is acceptable everywhere but in this city.
The Bolt enforces a strict dress code on Friday nights! Do you declare “racism” on that establishment.
Let me put it nicely…Finally, somebody had the cash and clout to clean up an old dump like the Brass Rail. HOOOOORAY! Five dollars for a draft? Do you bitch when you go to Olive Garden or TGIFridays or Figlio? The Brass Rail had to change to move into the future. There are plenty of dumps for you to hang out in, if that’s your game.
I had no immediate plans to go to the Brass Rail, but after reading the article and your bitching, I am putting it on the top of my list!

By: tail wind

tail wind — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:22:53 +0000

This bar makes the assumption that queer people are made out of money. Unfortunately poor queers do exist, and we are mourning the demise of one of our last divey social spaces: victim of the cookie cutter gentrification we hoped would stay in the suburbs. To all those who have not yet visited, the new brass rail is far from worth your time. The drinks were way over priced (a pint of premium was more than $5.00), and the staff was stiffer than their pours.

The bar manager, clad in his business suit, was a complete ass hole. He insisted I was trying to steal from the bar because my card would not go through. He lectured me about being arrogant and cheap in front of the whole bar, because I was apparently using a faulty card. As it turned out my account was charged in full and he was just on a power trip, probably because I didn’t not prescribe to his narrow idea of how a fag is supposed to look and act. The similarity of all of the “gay” spaces in downtown is a direct reflection of the monopoly behind them. I can’t imagine a place with so little character sustaining itself.

By: International Velvet

International Velvet — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:54:45 +0000

ps Peter Hafiz really has the interests of queers at heart a man who has dumped over $3,000 dollars into Norm Coleman’s lap in his Senate campaigns

By: Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Chisholm — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:35:56 +0000

Make no mistake: the old Brass Rail had practices of racism as well. One night I re-entered the BR with friends, all who are white-myself included-and one who is black. The white friends, myself included, entered without any issue. The black friend was quickly stopped and carded even though he’d been in the bar with us the entire time. Not cool, and something we should keep in mind as we memorialize the old Brass Rail

But the new Brass Rail is so much worse because it aggressively aims to exclude working class and poor people–people who wear hats and jeans and sneakers, people who do not “dress up” to meet the newly enforced code in its desperate grab at this cosmopolitan elitism. A lot of working class and poor people who hang out on that block of Hennepin are people of color, predominantly black people. I mean, come on, it’s wedged in-between an adult bookstore and a strip bar.

The new Brass Rail is inhospitable for people who can pass by the walkie-talkied gatekeepers up front. And it’s denied to those people who can’t muster up the right kind of “look” to gain entry, let alone buy over-priced Premium on tap ($5? You have to be kidding me)