Last Call Chicago: A History of 1,001 LGBTQ-Friendly Taverns, Haunts & Hangouts could not have been written by anyone but authors Rick Karlin and St Sukie de la Croix. Both are journalists with a keen eye for history, who reported on the events and comings and goings of Chicago’s LGBTQ-friendly bars and clubs. Last Call Chicago is a walk back in time-from the Speakeasies of the 1920s to the latest hot spots, and all done without looking at a single app.

Last Call Chicago: A History of 1,001 LGBTQ-Friendly Taverns, Haunts & Hangouts is a history of LGBTQ venues in Chicago going back in time as far as records of such venues exist. Both before and after Stonewall, LGBTQ bars and hangouts served the purpose of bringing the LGBTQ together and served as informal community centers. They were and are part of the vibrant fabric of the LGBTQ community. Opening Last Call Chicago is like stepping into a time machine that transports us across the years to bear witness to the triumphs, challenges, and sometimes heartaches of the LGBTQ community in Chicago.

As Terri Phoenix, director of the LGBTQ Center at UNC-Chapel Hill said recently at a vigil for the victims of the Orlando Pulse shooting, It is important for people to understand that for LGBTQ communities, a gay bar is often a home for members of a community that may not feel safe … anyplace else in their lives … the club is a sanctuary, a community center, a home.

Last Call Chicago is like a trip home.