The Palms Bar

The Palms Bar was the oldest continuously operating lesbian bar in Southern California. In 1965 Howard "Butch" Gottlieb and Jack Froman purchased the bar and brought in Norma Jasper from New York to run it. The bar was known for catering exclusively to women and attracting a wealthy and glamorous clientele. By the late 1960s, the Palms attracted celebrities including Jim Morrison, Tom Waits, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Later celebrity patrons included Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, Melissa Etheridge, k.d. lang, and Kristy McNichol. For many women, the Palms was the first openly lesbian bar they ever entered. Business declined from the late 1990s onward as lesbian life diversified and more options emerged. The Palms closed on June 9, 2013, the final day of LA Pride, after the property's owner had decided to redevelop the entire block into a four-story mixed-use building.