31 Years of The Abbey: West Hollywood’s World Famous Gay Bar
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The Abbey might be Los Angeles most well known gay bar, but it still feels like a small town haunt.
That’s mostly by design. Owner David Cooley maintains the same intimacy the space felt when it was more of a coffee shop 31 years ago.
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Cooley opened The Abbey in West Hollywood 31 years ago. It started as a small coffee house, Cooley saying he wanted to create a safe space for the gay community — one that was out in the open and not behind closed doors. Its motto: “Come as you are.”
“I would say at the time, I had no idea that it would become what it is today,” Cooley said. After getting ahold of stained-glass windows for decorations, Cooley decided to go with a religious-themed atmosphere, calling it “The Abbey.”
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“The Abbey, A-B-B-E-Y, had the fewest letters and it saved money on signage, so that’s why we picked The Abbey because we could afford the big signage,” Cooley said.
Three years after opening in 1991 The Abbey moved across the street. Since then, it’s expanded five times to its current 18,000-square-foot space. Now, the faithful come in droves to the bar on North Robertson Boulevard for its high-energy music, signature cocktails and scantily-clad dancers.
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Over the years, Cooley’s activism and charitable outreach also grew. What began with advocating for those suffering during the AIDS crisis evolved into being front-and-center in the struggle for same-sex marriage. And in 2016, after a gunman opened fire on LGBT people at the Pulse Night Club in Orlando, Florida, The Abbey raised money for victims and families.
“It really affected all of us,” Cooley said of the 2016 shooting. “I think [our] entire community was totally affected. That was hitting our community, killing our brothers and sisters. There’s 49 individuals that were killed innocently going out to have a nice, fun night out, and it’s sad.”
What started as a small haven for the gay community more than 30 years ago has become a home for so many.
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“It’s so great when you look over and you see such a large crowd and [you] see someone from 21 [years old], or a young couple, a straight couple, a family, someone [in their] 80s. It’s a huge melting pot. It’s no longer a gay club, it’s a gay club where everyone’s welcome.”
Cooley is optimistic about The Abbey’s future and is confident its bold and generous spirit will live on.
“I just hope that in 30 years from now, if the Abbey is still here, I’m sure it will be, that it still has the message that everyone’s welcome,” he said. “Come as you are.”
