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There are some sexy performers here and refreshingly one of the only gay venues in Vegas you won't get gum on your pants if you sit down. “Some of my longtime gay customers tease me, they say, ‘God, it’s so straight in here now.This former strip club has resurfaced as a gay bar/cabaret in its seemingly last hurrah to stay open. It’s something Cooley is proud of, no matter what anyone says. So straight so what?: These days, the club’s regulars are noticing its crossover appeal among the straight folk. Now, patrons can order from extensive food and drink menus that feature nearly a dozen cake concoctions - including Almond Roca, Blackout Espresso, Godiva Chocolate - and 26 martini flavors. Cooley also says his restaurant served the first apple martini in town. When the club got a liquor license, Cooley dreamed up the Abbey’s trademark 10-ounce martinis, roughly double the size of a standard martini.
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Cooley decided to keep his bakery as part of the club’s restaurant arm. As a social epicenter for issues involving the local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, Cooley’s club has been hosting charity functions for youth organizations like the It Gets Better Project and supported events such as the AIDS Walk Los Angeles and annual toy drives for local children’s hospitals.ĭesserts and drinks: In its early days, the Abbey became known for its desserts. He said he applies the same mentality to the business side, maintaining a down-to-earth approach with staff members.įundraising activities: Nothing helps promote a gay bar in West Hollywood like flair-filled philanthropy. That mantra has led to the bar’s heavy crossover appeal, not only among gays and straight people, but across age and race demographics, Cooley said. “I think that’s really part of my success.”
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Everyone is gonna be treated the same,” Cooley said. “Anyone who walks through my gate is a VIP. No VIPs allowed: Seeking validation in ultra-exclusive lounges or a bathroom with a velvet rope? You won’t find it at the Abbey. “When I opened up the Abbey, I said, ‘Open up the doors and be proud of who you are.’” “Most of the bars and nightclubs you couldn’t just walk in you had to go through the back door,” Cooley said. Cooley borrowed everything on credit cards to start the business. But Cooley wanted to create a local hangout for the gay community, and in 1991 he left banking and opened up a 1,100-square-foot coffeehouse called the Abbey. Venturing into the world of finance, he worked as a stock broker and a vice president at Wells Fargo Bank. The Ohio native cleaned houses and washed cars in Malibu to make ends meet at first.Ĭash to coffee beans: Eventually, Cooley’s station in life improved. His first classes usually started at 8 a.m.Īfter graduation, Cooley declined jobs in the Midwest and East Coast to move to L.A. Meager beginnings: While attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas - where he earned a degree in hotel administration - Cooley worked as a night auditor at a small hotel on the Strip. His longtime plan to turn the Abbey into a restaurant-nightclub franchise takes him cross-country, scouting real estate in Las Vegas, New York, Phoenix and Atlanta, although no deals have been signed yet. The Abbey was voted “Best Gay Bar in the World” in 2009 by MTV Network’s Logo channel.Ĭooley concedes that he still feels like the sole owner, managing day-to-day operations and charity events at the club. Cooley, 51, the restaurant’s founder, gained the title in May 2006 when SBE Entertainment Group bought the business and let him continue running it. The gig: David Cooley is president of the Abbey Food and Bar in West Hollywood.