Denver's Newest Gay Bar Aims to Save the Gayborhood

Courtesy of Pride & Swagger Facebook

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When JR’s Bar & Grill closed in 2011 and the Wrangler moved to bigger digs at 3030 Downing Street last year, Uptown lost two popular gay spots.

“This whole area in Uptown used to be the gayborhood,” says Scott Wedor. “This is where we hung. It just kind of faded into oblivion, and it made me kind of sad.”

So Wedor decided to open his own gay bar, a neighborhood joint with a massive music-video collection and plenty of space to chat over a drink. Pride & Swagger celebrates its grand opening on Friday, September 8, at 450 East 17th Avenue, the former home of Blueprint Bar.

click to enlarge

Courtesy of Pride & Swagger Facebook

“I was really excited to bring it back to the Uptown area,” Wedor says. “There isn’t a casual, sit-down bar for the gay community anymore, for the LGBTQ. It’s either a club, or you blend in somewhere downtown. I kind of missed that.”

With its hightops and bar stools, Wedor says Pride & Swagger is a place where LGBTQ people can stop by for happy hour or if they're not going to the club.

“Sometimes you just need a cocktail,” he adds.

During a renovation of the space, Wedor installed eight 55-inch flat-screen TVs connected to a state-of-the art video system that has access to 50,000 music videos. The bar also has the Buzztime Tablet interactive gaming system, which boasts more than fifteen different games, including trivia, poker and Family Feud.

Pride & Swagger grand opening, 5 p.m. Friday, September 8, Pride & Swagger, 450 East 17th Avenue, 720-476-6360.