Rich's

2401 San Jacinto
One of the longest-lasting gay clubs in Houston

1983 to 1986
1988 to 2013
2016 to 2019
2023 + at 202 Tuam

Wooden Nickel, Gary Archer says, from 1983-84

Plus, a Special Bonus....

I got Gary Archer, perhaps the only person
at Rich's from the beginning still around,
to write me a short history of his memories
Click for That Page

below, first mention in This Week in Texas (TWT), 5/27/83

1983

original owners were Dan Cain, Ken McIntyre and Bart Johnson, from Austin

below, first ad, two pages, TWT, 6/24/83

this was a four-page fold-out ad, TWT, 7/7/83

Note, the ad above had a mock-ticket stapled to the TWT page , very unusual

1984

1985

1986

Richs Closing, first time

Mecca
September 1986 - December 1987

So, after a 2-year gap
Richs, Again

1988

above, first ad after re-opening, 5/27/88

1989

1990

Richs entry in 1990 Pride Parade

  1991

1992

1993

  
Above right,
Stina Troxler

1994

1995

1996

1997

  14th anniversary....yeah, if you ignore the two years it was the bar Mecca

1998

1999

above left, ad in TWT for Rich's, 4/16/99...I joked that it was referred to the next day as the White Party....and above right, the next year it Was.......

2000

It seemslike the club ran a lot fewer ads after the closing of This Week in Texas, in August 2000
and consequently there were a lot fewer publications in which for me to find ads

2001

Article on both South Beach and Rich's

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

a few posters (okay, it's not easy to take photos of shiny large posters)
these were loaned to me by the new owners

We are up to 2010, and through these recent years there's not much visually to show.
Again, one reason is I think much less print advertizing was done, and there was little local print media available.

I understand, with the onset of the internet, website ads and club flyers were predominant in the last years.

So here are Guide sections at least documenting the Richs' existence

2007 - 2011

from the above chart, in Aug 2007, it appears the club was only open Thursday-Sunday,
and I found no ads for Rich's in that publication

skimming through several local publications from 2011-2012
their Guide pages made no mention of Rich's

Closing, Again, April 2013

Limelight (primarily a straight club)

Nov 2013 - May 2016

And, there's more

Richs Reopens, June 2016

click for Facebook Page

below, owners Brad Janacek and Jeff Harmon at work on the renovations

Brad was on Queer Voices on 6/3/16 to talk about the opening,
hear the interview (11 min)

2017

2018

2019

The Door Closes....

F-Bar, then Mynt, then Re-Bar....