Ripcord is the oldest leather bar in Texas, and for any club to last this long, whether gay or straight, it has to be doing lots of things right cheap drinks, a jukebox, a pool table and the large outdoor patio keep the regulars coming back. With the recent Supreme Court ruling making same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states, it's important to recognize and appreciate the history and importance of early Houston gay bars like The Ripcord, which opened back in 1980, when our city was not as tolerant toward the LGBT community as it is now.
