If you've only driven through the neighborhood you've probably never realized that the St Leo's neighborhood is ground zero for San Jose's alternative LGBT lifestyle. While not as famous as San Francisco's Castro district, it has played an important part in bringing acceptance and diversity to our neighborhood.
If you walk the edges of the St Leo neighborhood starting at Babe the Muffler man and walking up the Alameda, turning left on Race Street and left again on Park Avenue you'll walk past most of the places listed here.
If you walk the edges of the St Leo neighborhood starting at Babe the Muffler man and walking up the Alameda, turning left on Race Street and left again on Park Avenue you'll walk past most of the places listed here.
While Babe the Muffler Man would make a great icon for the neighborhood gay bar, you actually have to head 12 more blocks to Post Street to find Splash and Mac's or over to Renegades @ 501 W. Taylor and Coleman if you want to get a drink.
The St Leo neighborhood is an interesting mix of new high density housing next to older single family residential housing that used to house the cannery workers. Today it is a neighborhood in transition waiting for it's make over and to publicly embrace it's historic role as San Jose's Gay neighborhood.
The St Leo neighborhood is an interesting mix of new high density housing next to older single family residential housing that used to house the cannery workers. Today it is a neighborhood in transition waiting for it's make over and to publicly embrace it's historic role as San Jose's Gay neighborhood.
The Billy DeFrank Lesbian Gay BiSexual Transgender Community Center @ 938 The Alameda has been helping non-hetrosexuals find resources and acceptance since 1981. Named after William Price's (1936-1980) drag queen stage name Billy DeFrank. Drag Queen Bingo is every 3rd Wednesday of the month.
The large center runs with just 2 paid staff members and over 50 core volunteers and a tiny budget. It was a pioneer in what is now a growing number of community centers around the country. The building's previous tenants were a French Restaurant in the 1930s and later as an Arthur Murray Dance Studio.
The large center runs with just 2 paid staff members and over 50 core volunteers and a tiny budget. It was a pioneer in what is now a growing number of community centers around the country. The building's previous tenants were a French Restaurant in the 1930s and later as an Arthur Murray Dance Studio.
The Water Garden @ 1010 The Alameda is only one of two gay bath houses left in the entire San Francisco Bay area. Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day since its founding in 1977 by Sal Accardi. The place features a waterfall, pool, spa, showers, exercise room and private rooms. It survived the AIDs crisis and health department shut downs by actively promoting safe sex.
Sal's plaque at the entrance reads, "Wherever and whenever a minority is treated as second class citizens, the entire community suffers... let justice outweigh prejudice."
Sal's plaque at the entrance reads, "Wherever and whenever a minority is treated as second class citizens, the entire community suffers... let justice outweigh prejudice."
The Flamingo Motel @ 1084 The Alameda and Race Street isn't the "No Tell Motel" of the past when the Alameda was crazy with street walkers, but it's flaming Pink Flamingo neon sign at night makes as good of an entrance sign to the St Leo neighborhood as any! It doesn't hurt that the larger than life Muffler Man anchors the other end on the neighborhood.
The Health Trust @ 48 Race Street runs the AIDS Services program which helps folks living with HIV/AIDS. They provide food, counseling, medical case management, home care and housing assistance. Their Learning & Living Lounge provides a friendly place for folks living with HIV/AIDS to get together. Most people today can't appreciate how many people we've lost to AIDS.
A few blocks over is the Crane Center of the Santa Clara County Health Dept @976 Lenzen Avenue which offers free confidential HIV and Hepatitis C testing.
A few blocks over is the Crane Center of the Santa Clara County Health Dept @976 Lenzen Avenue which offers free confidential HIV and Hepatitis C testing.
The Food Basket @ 1043 Garland Street is always looking for community volunteers to help pack and deliver food to folks living with HIV/AIDS.
Six times a month they let clients come in and pick up their food directly.
The Food Basket is committed to providing nutritional care and support for persons living with HIV and AIDS, while helping them to achieve optimal nutritional status through generous donations and the support of Second Harvest.
Six times a month they let clients come in and pick up their food directly.
The Food Basket is committed to providing nutritional care and support for persons living with HIV and AIDS, while helping them to achieve optimal nutritional status through generous donations and the support of Second Harvest.
San Jose's I.O.O.F. - Independent Order of Odd Fellows building @ 124 Race Street is home to Carla's Social Club, a place for cross dressers and transgender folks to gather and follow Carla Blair's one rule, "act like a lady."
While the Odd Fellows is a funny name today, it has a long history of giving sympathy and aid to others. It just so happens that Aejaie Sellars is an Odd Fellow member who now runs Carla's Social Club and Whipped Kream to help others with makeup, clothing and voice.
While the Odd Fellows is a funny name today, it has a long history of giving sympathy and aid to others. It just so happens that Aejaie Sellars is an Odd Fellow member who now runs Carla's Social Club and Whipped Kream to help others with makeup, clothing and voice.
Leather Masters @ 969 Park Avenue offers it's locally produced leather and adult goods to people of all orientations. Started in 1989 by David Carranza and Tony DaCosta who made leather vests for more than cowboys.
Their Yelp reviews gives high praise for their quality. It took me awhile to decode the meaning in the 3 flags in the main window.
The only thing missing is a nearby Good Vibrations store to help spiffy up the neighborhood.
Their Yelp reviews gives high praise for their quality. It took me awhile to decode the meaning in the 3 flags in the main window.
The only thing missing is a nearby Good Vibrations store to help spiffy up the neighborhood.
While the St Leo neighborhood takes it's name from the St Leo the Great school founded in 1915 you'll have to head over to the chapel at St Martin Catholic Church in the nearby Rose Garden neighborhood to find San Jose's only sanctioned monthly mass for the Gay and Lesbian Catholic Community. First Saturdays of the month @ 200 O'Connor Drive, San Jose in the Chapel.
If singing is more your thing you be sure to check out the Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus with Tuesday night rehearsals @ 1100 Shasta Ave, at the Westminister church. They've been a neighborhood institution since 1983.
If singing is more your thing you be sure to check out the Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus with Tuesday night rehearsals @ 1100 Shasta Ave, at the Westminister church. They've been a neighborhood institution since 1983.
What started as a gay rights rally in 1971 in St James Park, turned into a Gay Parade in 1977 and a Gay Pride Festival on Stockton Avenue in 1986. Today it has mainstreamed into the Silicon Valley Pride festival held every August in nearby Discovery Meadow Park.