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“I wonder what would happen if famous gays and lesbians from different historical time periods met, what would they say to each other?”
And so begins the Out On Main Restaurant story, the USA’s first LGBT themed restaurant celebrating gay culture and history.
Although then life-partner Tom and I were co-founders, the original idea came from me one afternoon when I asked Tom the question above.
Although our fortunes would change at various times during our relationship—this was the first time—with Nana’s inheritance.
So we began to dream.
First we considered the LGBT restaurant, bar and nightclub landscape in Columbus, Ohio in 1995.
There was one gay restaurant—the beloved Grapevine, a casual joint that had been around seemingly forever.
And there were the usual assortment of gay bars, lesbian bars and mixed nightclubs.
But all of them were hidden away. No windows, minimal signage, in the shadows typical of gay businesses in the Midwest at the time.
We wanted to change that.
With our respective backgrounds in food and hospitality, we believed we brought enough to the table to open a restaurant. But we knew that there was a lot we didn’t know. So we’d need to bring in talent.
Back to our coterie of historical LGBT’s…
Imagining Alexander the Great, Gertrude Stein, Willa Cather, Oscar Wilde, Alberta Hunter, Cole Porter, Tennessee Williams, Eleanor Roosevelt all together at a Round Table on the Main Stage—what stories would they share, where would they agree and disagree?
LGBT’s have had influential places in history from the beginning of time.
In the 1980’s and 1990’s theme restaurants were very popular in the US and other parts of the world. Hard Rock Cafe, Planet Hollywood—to name the most well-known and popular.
It was 1995. We began to consider a gay version, a gay Planet Hollywood. Aware of the rich yet tortured history of LGBT people, we wanted to create a setting that celebrated our history in culture, entertainment and everyday life.
An annual celebrity visit to Out On Main was Betty DeGeneres. In the 1990’s, Ellen’s mom Betty traveled the USA as an LGBT-ally. Her visits to Out On Main were fun, and she’d always say, “Someday I’m going to bring Ellen!” We couldn’t wait!!!
And that day eventually arrived, on Betty’s 70th birthday, May 20, 2000. Ellen was in town with her reboot concert at The Palace Theatre. “Where would you like to have your birthday dinner?” she asked her mom. “I’ve got the perfect place,” Betty responded.
Ellen called Out On Main directly to make a reservation for 20, her entire posse. “Oh Hi Ellen! ” JP our manager said when he picked up the phone, not missing a beat.
Ellen and Betty, then partner Anne Hecht and the entire production crew descended on Out On Main after Ellen’s show. As did many fans and groupies and the rest.
Afterward Ellen and crew were gracious—posing for pictures and signing autographs. I took Ellen on a tour of the restaurant and she told me she considered opening an LGBT themed cafe in Los Angles after she came out years earlier.
I am actually touring icon Ellen DeGeneres through our little restaurant in the Midwest!!!
Ellen asked if I could find a pianist—she wanted to sing Happy Birthday to Betty. I sent for the pianist who was playing downstairs at Club Diversity. Unaware of our special guests, the surprised and overwhelmed piano player Tom Crumley arrived to our happening upstairs.
The entire restaurant sang Happy Birthday to Betty while the piano player hit the notes and kept shaking his unbelieving head.
See Out On Main Restaurant’s magical vision in action via these videos: