The Equator Resort Key West’s LGBTQ business struggled, but survived. Now they’re ready to welcome you back The pandemic sadly struck a death knell for many legacy LGBTQ businesses around the country.
But fear not Key West fans: The island’s small gay-owned hotels, bars and restaurants struggled over the last year, but they survived and are poised to welcome visitors back, better than ever.
Key West entrepreneur Joe Schroeder owns the gay Bourbon Street Pub and 801 Bourbon Bar complexes as well as the 15-unit gay guesthouse, New Orleans House.
He used a mandated three-month closure of hotels in March 2020 to renovate all of his hotel rooms, getting rid of carpet in the rooms and replacing it with wood and other materials that would make it