After Midnight, an after-hours nightclub, opened at 2265 Ontario Street in 1976. After Midnight operated as a “private dance club featuring disco dancing, [a] restaurant, and [a] juice bar.” As its name implied, After Midnight stayed open after midnight on weekends. Described as a “combination restaurant-disco” by owner Lee Huether, After Midnight featured a dining area “fashioned after a sidewalk cafe” and a juice bar surrounded by “carpeted pyramids for lounging.” After Midnight did not serve alcohol. For patrons interested in partying the night away, a “dance floor enclosed in plexiglass” and a DJ booth adjacent to the dining area supplied music and entertainment into the early morning hours. An additional “lounging area” and “game room” provided a quieter space for patrons interested in cruising, conversing, or just enjoying the ambiance. After Midnight closed in 1978.
Additional information coming soon.
Resources
- “After Hours Clubs Stir Police Curiosity.” High Gear. February 1977. Page 3.
- Nosek, John, and Leon Stevens. “Gay Community 1970s.” Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.
- Robinson, Chris. “After Midnight to Open in Cleveland.” High Gear. December 1976. Page 30-31.
- Scott, Jane. “Gay Life is Nurtured in Many A Bar.” Plain Dealer. July 10, 1977.