Beatrice ‘BB’ Gatch, the owner of the Capitol Hill gay bar Bachelor’s Mill for more than 30 years who became a beloved figure in the LGBTQ community for her welcoming demeanor and her longtime support for LGBTQ causes, died “peacefully in her sleep” on Feb.
5 at her D.C. home at the age of 81, according to her granddaughter Pascale ‘Bee’ Francis. Longtime Bachelor’s Mill customers have said Gatch, who first opened Bachelor’s Mill in 1978 at 500 8th St., S.E., created a welcoming atmosphere for all segments of the LGBTQ community, including the Black LGBTQ community.
For most of its years in business, the Bachelor’s Mill had a majority Black gay clientele. “BB did things beyond just being the owner of a business,” said longtime D.C.