Mable Peabody's

First opened in 1979, Mable Peabody's Beauty Parlor and Chainsaw Repair served as a watering hole for Denton's gay and lesbian community. That is, until March 2007, when an arsonist, using the bar's own liquor to set the nightclub ablaze, torched the original Mable Peabody's. In the fall of 2008, owner Kelly Sanders reopened the bar just a block or so from the original spot. The new location is more than twice the size of the original, with a spacious central bar, a huge dance floor and stage area that has plenty of mirrors - so folks can watch themselves dance. There's a digital jukebox, an assortment of video games, pool tables and nightly drink specials. The original bar with the unforgettable name gained a reputation as a popular underground venue, hosting under-the-radar touring acts, but now, while it still hosts shows on occasion, Mable Peabody's is bar first, venue second. And, today, its website bills the bar as "the Cheers of Denton, Texas for the gays and lesbians."