The oldest LGBTQ+ bar in Texas could close within a month unless it raises thousands of dollars for repairs.
Robert's Lafitte in Galveston has stood for 60 years, serving customers through thick and thin.
From the AIDS epidemic to the COVID-19 pandemic, bartender Terry Fuller told The Independent the spot is patrons’ 'second home.'
But the self-proclaimed dive bar is in jeopardy of closing down after it was reported to county health authorities and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
Fuller told local outlet Chron that they’re facing a 'laundry list' of immediate repairs, including ceiling and plumbing issues they need to fix to bring the bar back up to code.
Now Robert's has to spend thousands to stay open - and they say they need all the help they can get.
'Come one come all and help us raise some funds to keep us open. As many of you know and or do not know, [we] are the oldest gay bar in the state of Texas!' The bar wrote on Facebook, promoting a benefit fundraiser for the spot.
'Thanks to our beloved Robert Mainor he started this bar for all in the LGBTQ community, as well as everyone else.
'We will not let anyone get us down nor take that away from us. All we ask is for your help and support to keep us open and keep going and give others a chance to be themselves!'
Robert's Lafitte is Galveston has stood for 60 years
The self-proclaimed dive bar is in jeopardy of closing down after it was reported to county health authorities and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
The oldest LGBTQ+ bar in Texas could close within a month unless it raises thousands of dollars for repairs
Robert's potential closure doesn’t just hurt the business - it hurts the performers and vendors who depend on it for work opportunities.
Fuller referenced the city’s upcoming Pup Weekend festival, with many travelers having already made their arrangements expecting Robert’s to be there.
The bar staff aims to raise $10,000, but the total cost could rise if repairs uncover more issues with the aging building.
'It's our safe place,' Fuller said of the spot, adding that the bar has served a 'mixed crowd.'
'Straight, gay, transgender, bisexual. We get all walks of life,' Fuller told the outlet. 'It’s just been a safe haven for people to go and literally be who they are.'
Robert's isn't the only gay bar that has struggled to keep its doors open, a San Francisco LGBTQ spot was forced to close in late 2025.
Ginger’s, a 47-year-old fixture and longtime drag venue, shut its doors on October 31.
The closure comes as inflation-squeezed customers are less eager to spend in a crowded market of bars and breweries.
Multiple alcohol providers have closed or declared bankruptcy amid a slide in sales.
Robert's potential closure doesn’t just hurt the business - it hurts the performers and vendors who depend on it for work opportunities
The bar staff aims to raise $10,000, but the total cost could rise if repairs uncover more issues with the aging building
Fuller called the bar a 'safe place,' and that is serves a 'mixed crowd'
The benefit flyer Robert's created to raise money for the repairs
The modern version of Ginger's opened in 2017 as a revival of a beloved 1970s bar of the same name.
It closed during the pandemic and reopened in June 2025, hoping for a rebound.
However, the bar, located in San Francisco's financial district, has struggled to attract a steady flow of customers.
It used to rely on sales of happy hour drinks before white-collar workers hopped on the metro and buses home.
But as fewer Bay Area residents worked from the city's downtown, the business model collapsed.