Why are Bostons gay bars disappearing?
He responds that, first of all, this trend is not unique to Boston and, second, general societal forces, affecting both gays and straights, provide the answer. Rising urban rents drive out low profit margin businesses and greater acceptance encourages gays to disperse from so-called gay ghettos. Most important, the Internet undermines the central function of gay bars by providing an alternative (electronic) place for gays to meet. Sullivan places his story in the context of changing urban life, symbolized in part by the disappearance of the Jewish neighborhood deli. For more, see here.
