Today we’d like to introduce you to Oliver Alpuche.
Hi Oliver, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles, Highland Park to be exact. I remember my mom bringing me to DTLA as a kid and being fascinated by all the beautiful buildings. This prompted me to move DTLA 12 years ago and I fell in love. It is the only city that reminded me of the neighborhood feel we had as kids.
People actually say hi to you, they remember your name, Neighbors ask you how your day is and invite you for dinner… A true sense of community….. That is what sparked the idea of opening a Gay Bar in DTLA because I wanted a queer safe space that you can go to and meet other queer people in the neighborhood. It was a long and rough road to open a gay bar in DTLA but I did it and when we opened, it was magical. And what was great was that we were not alone, two other queer bars opened up around the same time. It truly felt like a new gayborhood was starting. After being open for nine months, we wanted to share this new queer era in DTLA and formed what is now DTLA Proud. DTLA Proud is a non-profit organization that strengthens and empowers the local LGBTQ+ & ally community in Downtown Los Angeles through visibility, volunteerism, partnerships and events. Born from the idea that together we could create an all-inclusive community that represents the diverse LGBTQ+ population that lives, works and plays in the thriving heart of the city of Los Angeles.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Anything but… Sometimes the best adventure starts on a road that doesnt exist yet… When I started Redline and DTLA Proud, I had no idea what I was doing… For Redline, I thought it would only take six months to open…. it took 1 1/2 years before we could even open the doors. The space sat fully built out and empty for months waiting on the city approval process, we nearly went bankrupt. One of the biggest hurdles to opening your own business is the amount of money you need from the get go. I sold everything I owned and that still wasn’t enough. Thankfully I have an amazing family that was able to help physically build the bar out with me. As for DTLA Proud , I new nothing about throwing a community event or how much it cost. I remember being in a meeting and getting asked how are we going to pay for this…. and I said “I will put it on my credit card if I have to.”
The struggle with DTLA proud or any community event is that you can’t be everything to everyone. We try but there is always someone who will criticize you. It personally hurts but what I’ve learned is we can always do better.
For me 2020 will forever be known as “The Year the House of Cards fell…..” Through all the struggles to get Redline open and sustainable, creating DTLA Proud and watch it grow into something bigger than I could have imagined , and to try to find balance in my personal life, Covid happened. On March 15th, Redline had to close its doors, the Festival was not going to happen, everything that I have worked to build just collapsed….and I’m still standing in the rubble nine months later.
We’ve been impressed with Redline DTLA, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Reldine is a Gay bar in DTLA that acts as a second home for a lot of people. It was a place you could Dance , see a Drag Shows, meet new friends and much, much more. I want your readers to know that we are fighting tooth and nail to ensure we survive this pandemic, reopen and rebuild!! Now more than ever, we need queer spaces.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Stay Safe. This pandemic is affecting us in so many ways so be creative and support each other any way you can.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: redlinedtla.com
- Instagram: @redlinedtla
- Facebook: redlinedtla
- Twitter: @redlinedtla
