The side view of what is now Redz (Former)

Place

Redz (Former)

One of the few lesbian bars to cater to Latinas opened in Boyle Heights in the 1950s.

Place Details

Address

2218 E. First St. Los Angeles, CA 90033
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Property Type

Community

Located in Boyle Heights, Redz is estimated to have first opened in the late 1950s and operated until 2015. For over fifty years, this popular lesbian bar catered to a predominantly Mexican and Mexican American clientele.

Over the course of its history, the bar's name evolved from Redheads to Reds to, most recently, Redz. It opened at a time when working-class lesbian bars were on the rise around Los Angeles, particularly in Westlake and North Hollywood. It represented an important intersection of race, class, gender, and sexual identity. 

Though the bar closed its doors in 2015 and its appearance has been altered, it continues to represent an important story within Los Angeles' lesbian community.