By William Smith
When Steve Schleif opened Steve’s Place 33 years ago, it wasn’t called a gay bar.
“It was a lot more closeted back then. It was called a friendly bar,” said Chaz Myhre, who purchased the bar with his partner Steve Stoll in July of last year.
Things have changed since then.
The Washington Street bar, which opened three weeks ago, proudly touts its LGBTQ representation. Myhre and Stoll seek to provide a safe space that is fun, friendly, and welcoming.
The inside of The Oh Zone features a new dance floor, stage, dressing area, and outdoor patio. It looks like a Chicago club that just rolled off the assembly line — a year’s worth of renovation for Stoll and Myhre.“We took this place down to the studs,” Myhre said.
While Steve’s Place was known mostly for its drag queen shows, The Oh Zone will feature a broader lineup of entertainment. Myhre said it’s a nightclub for everyone."
Due to the restrictions placed on bars by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Stoll and Myhre didn’t have a big grand opening. They kept it small, and they kept it safe. But with the Quad City area currently lacking a robust gay bar scene, the new owners still met a lot of patrons who traveled more than an hour to be there.
Many of Steve’s Place regulars couldn’t make it due to COVID-19 concerns but still sent messages of support.
As longtime patrons of Steve’s Place themselves, that support meant a lot to Stoll and Myhre. Opening a new bar or dining establishment during a pandemic is extremely difficult, but the duo refuses to back down. Myhre already owns the Regal on the Hill event center, and Stoll has his own construction company. The pair know how to keep a business running.
But the Oh Zone looks to become more than another business. The hope is that it becomes a beacon of inclusivity for southeast Iowa.“Everyone should have a safe place,” Myhre said.
Photo by William Smith
Steve Stoll and Chaz Myhre, owners of The Oh Zone, pose for a photo outside their recently opened Burlington nightclub.