Beloved Houston LGBT Bar Guava Lamp Will Shutter Permanently After 22 Years

Guava Lamp, an iconic LGBT bar known for its drag shows, karaoke nights, and other wildly popular events, has officially departed Houston’s nightlife scene.

The sad news of Guava Lamp’s permanent departure came in an Instagram post on Wednesday night. “After much deliberation, the management of Guava Lamp announces that time has come to gracefully bow out and exit stage left. Guava Lamp has officially closed its doors,” the post reads in part. “For the last 22 years, we cheerfully celebrated countless nights of karaoke, talented entertainers from across the country, as well as many special occasions.”

The bar has been shuttered since June, when it closed during the brief reprieve offered to bars by Gov. Greg Abbott when he allowed bars to reopen at limited capacity in May. “We are doing this out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our bar staff and guests,” reads a post from the bar in June. Originally located at Shepherd Plaza, Guava Lamp operated at its Waugh Drive location for the past 17 years.

At the end of the statement, Guava Lamp’s management implored the bar’s fans to “vote the virus out of the White House.”

Despite the Guava Lamp’s departure, the space at 570 Waugh Drive has a new tenant in the works. According to permit applications filed with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, a new “Latin gay club” called Papi’s Nite Club is set to open in the space in the coming weeks. Papi’s is a project of the team that operates Houston LGBT bar Viviana’s Nite Club, opened by trans activist and legendary club owner Viviana Coketa. According to OutSmart, Coketa died from COVID-19 complications in August.

A post to the bar’s Facebook page indicates that it’s set to host its grand opening festivities on October 21, complete with performances from drag queens Aria Crawford, Angelina DM Trailz, and more artists. Face masks are required at the event.