Asheville gay bar O. Henry’s makes Esquire magazine’s list of ‘bests’ – Citizen Times
ASHEVILLE – National recognition has been bestowed on an Asheville business with a long history of entertaining and advocating.
O. Henry’s, a downtown nightclub, made Esquire magazine’s list of “The 32 Best Gay Bars in America.”
The list was curated by the publication’s editors and contributors across the country who searched for “the most fun and inclusive LGBTQ+-friendly bars across the U.S.”
“It’s exciting,” owner Derick Boyd said. “Of the whole country, being named is a pretty prestigious honor, and we’re proud of our staff and everyone else here.”
Esquire described O. Henry’s as a “clandestine” dance party and music venue that “draws in every category and demographic.” A special mention was given to its dance club area, The Underground.
The Asheville bar is in company with establishments in cities including Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Nashville, New York, San Francisco and Washington.
Previously:Inside one of Esquire’s ‘Best Bars in America’ found in downtown Asheville
To Boyd’s knowledge, it’s the first time O. Henry’s has received national recognition.
“I think they came in and saw that we do it and do it right,” Boyd said. “Everybody’s equal here. No discrimination, no judgment.”
Opened in 1976, O. Henry’s is noted as being the oldest gay bar in North Carolina. Boyd, the owner of nine years, attributes the business’s longevity to its progressiveness and welcoming environment.
“It’s kind of one of those things where you come in and everybody knows you. If you’re a visitor, everybody greets you,” Boyd said. “We’re still a gay bar but there’s a bunch of different crowds that come in from all sexualities or sex groups. It’s constantly evolving with the new trends and things going on, but we try to stick with the basics. We’re a gay bar, we’re a safe place and we’re going to be as friendly as we can here.”
O. Henry’s is a place to grab a drink, belt out a tune on karaoke Wednesdays, catch a weekend drag show and dance like no one’s watching any night of the week.
It’s also a cornerstone of the LGBTQ community. Vigils, benefits and memorials are hosted at the venue and the O. Henry’s team offers assistance to individuals from name changes during transition to financial support.
“We’re always the place, anything that happens in the gay community is held here,” Boyd said. “Say they don’t have families for funerals, they hold the funeral here. Anytime someone gets sick, we hold a benefit fundraiser for them. Going off to school, getting their gender surgery – we try to help out the most we can.”
As for the future of the historic venue: “We’re here and have no plans of going anywhere,” Boyd said.
This is the second time this year that Esquire has spotlighted an Asheville bar. In June, Session at Citizen Vinyl made the publication’s top 25 list of 2022 Best Bars in America.
O. Henry’s
Where: 237 Haywood St, Asheville
Hours: 4 p.m.-2 a.m. daily
Info: For details, visit ohenrysofasheville.com. View Esquire’s full list at esquire.com.
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter/Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.