H.G. Roosters’ Many Beginnings
1940s
The building at 823 Belvedere Road first opened in the 1940s as Club Sirroco.
1960s
In the 1960’s it became My Apartment an upscale bar catering to a lesbian crowd.
1970s
In the 1970’s it became Turf West, its second incarnation as a bar catering to the LGBGTQ community.
1980s
HG Roosters opened in April of 1984 when the AIDS pandemic was first making national headlines. When it opened, only 21 bars in Palm Beach County catered to the LGBTQ community. Roosters took the lead in raising money for those affected by the virus. We provided healthcare, housing, food, and comfort to its victims. At the time HIV was a death sentence.
The COVID Shut Down & The Fire
March 16, 2020
Roosters was shut down due to COVID-19. Ownership maintained staff employed by having them paint, repair, and redecorate the bar. We also started a YouTube channel (RoostersWPB-TV) to entertain customers during COVID-19 and allow entertainers opportunities to earn some money.
April 4, 2020
Annual Insurance premium was due – over $50,000. Not knowing how long we would be shut down and needing all available funds to keep paying employees, ownership decided to pause insurance coverage until we reopened. Employees working onsite doing repairs would be covered under a separate Workers’ Compensation policy.
May 19, 2020
Rags were used to apply linseed oil to wooden furniture spontaneously combusted. The rags were in tubs with other dirty rags below a rack of clean rags and paper goods. This was captured on a surveillance video camera. REBUILD. The community rallied around Roosters, donating over $75,000 for rebuilding efforts, including a $9,000 donation from the WPB Firefighters Union. While working with the City on rebuilding plans, ownership was approached by the City’s Historic Preservation Planner to see if we would consider designating the site historic due to its cultural contribution to the community.
April 5, 2021
The City Commission votes unanimously to designate H.G. Roosters as a historic site. It is the third gay bar in the United States to be so designated. During demolition of the inside of the building numerous structural deficiencies were identified, requiring significant modification to building plans and augmented structural reinforcements.
Historical Restoration
November 2022
Ground was broken on the addition to the rear of the building – reconstruction officially began. Since then there have been numerous stops and starts due to supply chain shortages and permitting issues
April 2024
Floors have been poured, and structural reinforcements, windows, doors, and a fire sprinkler system are in place. Framing, electrical, plumbing, insulation, A/C ductwork, and drywall have been completed. The next major project is civil work on the outside – parking lots, drainage, and landscaping.
Current Status
