By Ryleigh Lord, QBurgh

Blue Moon is unassuming from the outside. Located on Butler Street in Lawrenceville, the bar could be one of many in Pittsburgh and the United States in general. But after walking through the entrance, it’s clear why this place is a staple for Pittsburgh’s queer community.

The bar is small, with one main room that includes a stage for almost daily drag shows and hundreds of Christmas tree lights strung around. Even on a Sunday 20 minutes after opening, a group of regulars are standing at the bar.

“I have a group of guys here; they were here the first day we opened,” Andy Henderson, Blue Moon’s manager, said of the men. “They’re in their 60s and 70s, some of them are in their 80s, and they intermix with the young kids. There’s no age difference, which I love because you don’t get that just anywhere.”

Henderson has been at Blue Moon since 2002, right when it opened, starting as a bartender and working his way up to manager. In that time, he’s seen how changing customers mark changes in the world.

“Every so many years there’s another group of young people coming in, and it’s just amazing,” Henderson said. “And, you know, the older people still come in that originally came in, and they’re just in shock that we’re still doing what we’re doing.”

For Alistair, one of Blue Moon’s bartenders, the decision to work at the bar was an easy one.

“It’s just fun,” Alistair said. “It’s family. It’s just better to be around gays, too. You know, the life of a heterosexual is boring.”