Georgies

Located on Fifth Avenue in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Georgies is a dive bar that caters to the LGBT community. It is known for its neighborly, accepting environment, for which reason it is nicknamed "the gay Cheers".^[3][4][5] Liz Dennerlein of the Asbury Park Press wrote: "[T]he tables are a bit run down, the bar still only accepts cash, but inside clients feel at home."^[3] Patrons vary widely in age, and staff estimate that approximately 75% of their customers are regulars. Managed by Joe Cole, the venue hosts live entertainment most nights.^[3][6] According to the Asbury Park Press, "Monday night features half-priced drinks and free pool. Tuesdays feature go-go boys at 10 p.m. Wednesdays feature a karaoke dance party. Thursday is drag night. Friday is beer pong night. Saturday is all-day karaoke."^[3] Georgies also broadcasts live sports matches, such as football games.^[3] The bar's pool table is particularly popular because few other establishments in Asbury Park have one.^[7]

Georgies opened in 1999.^[3] In addition to its regular weekly programming, the bar has been the site of a number of larger events and fundraisers. During the holiday season of 1999, Georgies founded the Asbury Park Toy Drive for local children; the charity event subsequently grew into an annual, citywide undertaking.^[8] The bar regularly hosts Pride celebrations^[6][9] and afterparties for Asbury Park's yearly Pink Prom, which raises funds for the Ali Forney Center and for Project REAL, a local organization that supports gay and bisexual men.^[10] In the wake of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Georgies implemented new security measures, including the use of a hand-held metal detector at the door.^[11][12] Additionally, municipal law enforcement increased its presence around all queer establishments in Asbury Park.^[11] The following year, Georgies held a benefit event in remembrance of the shooting, donating the proceeds of the evening to Project REAL.^[13]

Georgies was closed for several months in spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which time its management revamped the space and "freshened up" its look.^[14] Still closed in early June, the bar hosted a live-streamed Pride party in lieu of its traditional in-person festivities.^[15] The establishment was able to reopen for outdoor service on its patio later that month.^[1] It resumed indoor service at 25% capacity in September, several weeks after Governor Phil Murphy announced that New Jersey bars and restaurants would be permitted to do so.^[16]

In its 2018 article "All 47 bars in Asbury Park, ranked worst to best", NJ.com listed Georgies in 20th place with the following comment:

While Georgies, the enduring, wood-paneled and cash-only dive on Fifth Avenue, is known as the city's neighborhood gay bar ... it really is a spot for all, with welcoming staff and patrons, TVs to watch the game and a pool table. More importantly, Georgies ... is one of the last places in Asbury Park that still touts real dive bar prices. If you need a cheap, cold beer and maybe a laugh, go to Georgies.^[17]

A 2015 Asbury Park Press article stated: "The bar has become more than just a hangout spot—it's become a space where people can be themselves without judgement."^[3] In a review of "the 11 best bars in Asbury Park", Courtney Marabella of the Press ranked Georgies seventh and called it "the best dive bar in the city". She further commented: "It has labeled itself the 'gay cheers', and I have to admit, it's the truth (I know the names of most of the regulars). They serve a strong drink ... and are an excellent watering hole for the LGBTQ community and beyond."^[4]

• History of the LGBT community in Asbury Park
• List of dive bars