Paper Doll Club

The building at five hundred twenty-four Union Street served as a critical refuge for the queer community starting in the nineteen forties. While many similar venues faced immediate closure for serving alcohol to gay patrons, this establishment operated as a restaurant and supper club. By centering its business model on dining, it frequently avoided the aggressive police scrutiny that targeted bars during that era. It stood as a rare, relatively safe space where people could exist and socialize openly when such simple freedoms were often illegal.