A Giant Gay Bar

The largest gay bar in Texas is roaring into Houston: And you'd better bring your cowboy boots

For those still reeling from the sudden demise of Brazos River Bottom . . . lament no more.

Houston is gearing up to become home to the largest LGBT country-western bar in Texas thanks to the new Neon Boots, which is set to throw open its doors for the first time on Aug. 22 for a full weekend of kickin', steppin' and shufflin'.

Situated on Hempstead Highway just below 34th Street, the new 10,000-square-foot dance hall has risen from the ashes of the Esquire Ballroom — the storied music venue that played hosted to country music legends like Jim Reeves and George Jones.

The largest gay bar in Texas is roaring into Houston: And you'd better bring your cowboy boots

The one and only Willie Nelson penned the song "Night Life" chronicling his days performing at the iconic ballroom, which just so happens to be the setting for the Broadway musical Always . . . Patsy Cline.

Now, it's being touted as the largest gay bar in all of Texas.

"You can almost visualize Patsy on the stage," laughs Neon Boots co-owner Jim Moore. "There's such an amazing history here. The renovation has truly been a labor of love for us."

"You can almost visualize Patsy on the stage," laughs co-owner Jim Moore.

After the Esquire closed in 1995, the building has hosted a hodgepodge of other ventures, including its most recent incarnation — a space-themed gay club Planeta Rojo.

"When we first got here, the walls were completely covered in black and there were stars and planets painted on the ceiling. It's been quite the project turning the place back to the country and western club."

The interior's undergone a Lone Star makeover fit for polkas and line dancing — a blue and red color scheme broken up by swaths of cedar-plank paneling and corrugated metal wall treatments. A performance stage backed by a huge Texas flag overlooks the biggest country dance floor in Houston. The owners hope to install a mechanical bull, sand volleyball court and an area for horseshoes.

In addition to its five drinking stations, Neon Boots has carved out a separate bar called the Esquire Room that will be dedicated to the building's past.

Moore and his fellow owners hope their club will fill the void left after the closure of Brazos River Bottom while crafting a new country-western hangout steeped in Texas music traditions.

"When the BRB closed, there was no place for us all to get together and dance," Moores says. "We're excited to finally have a home again."

Neon Boots opens Aug. 22 at the storied Esquire Ballroom on Hempstead Highway.

Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon sign August 2013

Photo courtesy of Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon

Neon Boots opens Aug. 22 at the storied Esquire Ballroom on Hempstead Highway.

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Texas is one of the least cyclist-friendly states in the nation

Photo by Danist Soh on Unsplash

If you've ridden your bicycle in Houston, you already know how true this is.

In what will come as no surprise to cyclists around Houston, the state of Texas is not a good place for bicycle riding. According to a new report of the "Most Cycling-Friendly States in the U.S.," Texas comes in at No. 47 — meaning that only three other states are worse.

The report, from Philadelphia personal injury law firm KaplunMarx, examines all 50 states based on six metrics: Air quality index, the number of cyclist deaths per one million residents, bike routes per square mile, local government actions supporting cycling, federal funding for cycling projects, and bicycle laws.

Texas musters a mere 31 points out of 100 for its "cycling friendly score."

The most cycling friendly state in the U.S.: Minnesota, which earned 84 points to claim the title.

According to the report's findings, there have been 15 local government actions per capita in Texas that integrate pedestrians and cyclists in transportation projects. Texas' has a 41 air quality index value, and there are approximately 1.2 bike routes per 1,000 square miles in the state.

On cyclist deaths, Texas does a little better, with three cyclist deaths per one million residents in Texas — about nine percent lower than the national average.

According to KaplunMarx founding partner Ted Kaplun, there is an average of 857 cyclist fatalities in the U.S. every year. He adds that every measure or community effort to improve cyclist-friendliness is beneficial for all Americans.

"It's crucial for all states to continually assess and enhance their cycling provisions, learning from both high-ranking peers and their own experiences," he says.

Top-ranking Minnesota has only one cyclist death per one million state residents. It also has about 27.2 bike routes per 1,000 square miles.

After Minnesota, the remaining top five best states for cyclists are Massachusetts (No. 2), Rhode Island (No. 3), Washington (No. 4), and Iowa (No. 5).

At the bottom of the list are Nevada (No. 48), Arizona (No. 49), and Utah (No. 50) — all of which performed far worse than Texas to be declared the three least cycling-friendly states.

The entire country still has areas for improvement when it comes to creating a safer environment for cyclists, regardless of where each state landed on the list, according to Kaplun.

"With over 53 million Americans riding bicycles regularly, the importance of cycling-friendly infrastructure and safety measures cannot be overstated," said Kaplun in the report. "This isn't just about rankings – it's about enhancing the quality of life, promoting sustainable transportation, and most crucially, saving lives."

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