Gay life in Chicago this week, back in...

1976

In Gay Chicago's Christmas Book 1980, local gay and gay-friendly businesses are profiled. Here are three of them:

Bob's Bookstore, 2810 N. Clark St.

"Here's a bookstore you can really cruise through the aisles and browse through the magazines and books. Located at Clark and Diversey in the heart of the gay community, Bob's offers a large selection of gay and lesbian periodicals, and magazines, major periodicals, a complete selection of the New York Times Best Seller books, a large selection of Jewish literature and all of the latest hard covers and paperbacks. They also carry maps and cigarettes."

Mr. Bidet, 1403 Howard St., Elk Grove Village.

"Here's something for someone (including yourself) who has everything and knows how to use it. The Mr. Bidet wash ‘n' dry toilet attaches to any toilet bowl for easy installation. The warm water washing and warm air drying provides the ultimate in personal hygiene and cleanliness for the demanding adult. Both Visa and Master Charge credit cards are accepted."

Stuff ‘n Such, 3249 N. Broadway.

"This is the store that keeps Chicagoans warm during the winter and cool in the summer. They offer parkas and vests, flannel shirts, web belts, boot socks, quilted shirts in various colors, sweatshirts, jeans, sweaters and gloves. For those warmer times, you can find Hawaiian shirts, shorts and swimsuits. Hope you will find some of the most practical gifts for either yourself or a friend and a tour around the store will reveal that the prices are within anyone's budget, especially during this inflationary period. And you get a free bottle of Hardware with a $20 purchase."

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For one week only, William Higgins' "Rear Deliveries," starring Kip Knoll and the West Side Boys, is playing at the Bijou adult movie theatre at 1349 N. Wells.

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(Image: Rocky Horror Show – Gay Life November 28, 1980)

Diana Dewey plays her original folk music at the womyn-only Mountain Moving Coffee House.

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The movie, "The Blob" starring Steve McQueen is showing at the Gold Coast leather bar, 501 N. Clark St.

1976

The cover of Gay Chicago reads: "'Grease' Still Rocks as it Rolls Through Town."

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Meals on wheels is seeking volunteers citywide to deliver meals to those impacted by HIV/AIDS. Orientation is held the second Wednesday of every month at Open Hand, 909 W. Belmont.

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The Anti-Violence Project at Horizons Community Services received reports concerning 24 victims during the month of November, with some cases involving multiple offenses. Some of the offenses included: physical assault–6; sexual assault–1; attempted robbery–2; robbery­–1; vandalism/property damage–2; verbal harassment–14; verbal threats–2; written harassment–1; arson–1; discrimination–6; police misconduct–2; domestic violence–3.

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(Image: Sidetrack – Windy City Times December 26, 1991)

Article in Gay Chicago reads: "Men of All Colors Together (MACT-Chicago) is back, under new attitude and direction. The new executive board was recently elected in Mid-November. The new board of directors are: Preston L. Shumaker and Dennis Zygadio, co-chairs; Irwin Rothenberg, secretary; Ken Allen, interim treasurer; Lance Tines, education chair; Crawford Blakley, membership chair; Barry Bell, NABWMT representative; Tom Robinson, newsletter editor; Joe Zbikowski, political action chair; and Tom Hayes, social chair.

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"Passings" in Gay Chicago this week include Richard A. Pettina "Mother Theresa" and Robert J. Keller, two beautiful men who died from AIDS complications.

1995

Honey West is appearing in "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom" at the Theatre Building. 1225 W. Belmont.

(Image: The Powder Room – Nightspots July 22, 1998)

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In the bars and clubs this week it's port and cigar tasting night at Cell Block, 3702 N. Halsted; Lori Dokken, "a Broadway version of a husky-voiced Laura Nyro," is at Gentry, 3320 N. Halsted; there's a Christmas Keymaster Pit Party at Chicago Eagle, 5015 N. Clark St.; Pleasantly Blue are back by popular demand at Temptations, 10235 W. Grand Ave., Franklin Park; Michael James is the entertainer at Legacy 21, 3042 W. Irving Park; it's Terry Brown's Birthday Bash at Inn Exile, 5758 W. 65th St., Chicago; Girth and Mirth Night at North End, 3733 N. Halsted; and on Christmas Day Sally Richards sings all of your favorite holiday songs at Nutbush, 7201 Franklin, Forest Park.

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Gay Chicago reports: "David Wilshire and the Chicago Sweat Shop Gym, in cooperation with Open Hand Chicago, is hosting a gift and food holiday program to make the holidays a little more joyful for people living with AIDS and who are in need."

Thanks go to publishers Michael Bergeron for Chicago Gay Crusader, Ralph and Craig Gernhardt for Gay Chicago, Grant Ford and Chuck Renslow for Gay Life and Tracy Baim for all the publications at the Windy City Media Group, which aided the above research. St. Sukie de la Croix is an internationally published reporter, playwright, photographer and historian. He is also the author of the book Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall published by the University of Wisconsin Press.

Homework

What happened to David Wilshire?

Who is Lori Dokken?

Has anyone ever bought a bidet with a Visa card?