People go out to a nightclub to have fun, to dance the night away to the thumping music,

to have some drinks and just cut loose with friends.

Nightclubs become regular meeting places where groups socialize and decompress after work and to celebrate.

Many of these places become a community where people feel safe opening up and being themselves.

That is, until they get burned by a monster.

... Phyllis Steve had followed many paths leading up to 1970. He joined the seminary and then joined the Navy, but neither were the

right fit for him. In 1970, his mother passed away and he inherited $15,000. He knew that this was a

chance to finally find his place in the world and became interested in opening a business.

When he asked a friend if he should open a gift shop, she said, well,

if someone had a dollar, they'll buy a drink before they buy a gift. Phil knew then that he was going

to open a bar, specifically a gay nightclub. At 604 Iberville set a three-story brick building.

As with all buildings like this, the first floor was set up for

commercial use, with a bar occupying that space. Normally, the second and third floors would be

designated as living areas, but the second floor was also set up as a bar, and the third floor

consisted of storage in a flop house with a couple of rooms for rent. The second floor bar had been closed

for about a year and the owner was asking for $15,000, but Phil didn't want to spend all of his

money, so he offered her $7,500 and she accepted. Phil had no knowledge of nightclub operations,

so he spent some time going to other area nightclubs searching for tips.

He started talking to the bartender, Buddy Rasmussen.

Buddy advised him that the first thing he needed was a bartender he could trust.

It said that Phil hired Buddy on the spot.

The first problem they ran into was the stairway up to the second floor bar.

...