Catch One

4965 MLK, Houston

1982 -- 1984

 

Catch One was a short-lived Houston Black gay bar

1982

although by usual 'rule of thumb' for when a bar opened is
when it first appears in the TWT Guide, in this case 2/18/83....based on the
letter above I believe was already open by the end of 1982. And there is
further proof, the September 1983 ad celebrates their first anniversary.
So that makes September 1982 the opening

Minority bars did not always advertise in TWT, both for financial
reasons and they may not have felt the magazine served their market

I have been advised by Tony Powel that the club at Blodgett and Almeda
was an After Hours club, Ce Soir, which accordingly would not have advertised.
And the one at Griggs and Cullen was also an After Hours lesbian club, called Deon's

1982

1983

Cookie LaCook was a regular emcee
( name was usually spelled LaCook, but here it's LaCooke )

Above, Catch One also sponsored a
Montrose Softball Association team
during 1983, as was reported in the
sports section of TWT

Catch One Disco News, four page newsletter
Download Newsletter

  

The above ad from September 2, 1983, says it was their one year anniversary...
so, the club opened in September 1982

  

Billy Preston!

  

 

1984

    

  

   

    

   

Melba Moore!

   

  

above, last listing for the club in TWT, 7/13/84, which is probably accurate
the clipping below is about the club opening for an event in 1985

Below, the Damron's Guide for 1985 lists the club,
but by then it had already closed. The accuracy
of those guides frequently suffered from the
publishing lag time.

Catch One was the only club listed as Black in that issue

While Catch One closed in the Summer of 1984, by Fall another Black bar opened, Studio 13