The Regulars-Thomas Smallwood
Blackstones
By Sara Hogan and Jessie Banhazl
Age: 45
Regular since: 2004
Hometown: DC area
Favorite drink: Stoli and soda in mug #69
Tucked between Longfellow Square and the West End neighborhood, Blackstone’s bar has been open since 1987. It is the oldest operating gay bar in Portland. “Gays need a place to let their hair down,” said JR, a Blackstone’s bartender for the past 20 years.
JR explained that Blackstone’s started as primarily a leather bar for gay men, but the space has evolved over time to include the queer and straight communities as a whole. “It’s gotten very diverse as far as sexual preference and gender,” JR stated. “We also get people that live in the area that are just looking for some place to go that they feel safe.”
A neighborhood staple, the cash-only bar hosts a number of weekly events such as trivia and pool tournaments, along with drag shows and DJs. Regulars can buy into the bar’s “mug club,” which gives participants discounted oversized pours in a personalized mug for an annual fee.
Visitors to Blackstone’s will find that the bar’s regulars vary significantly in age and are often very chatty and personable. For our Blackstone’s regular, we chose Thomas Smallwood, a restaurant manager and entertainer whose gregarious personality and friendliness make him likable and recognizable. He’s also been going to Blackstones for 20 years. Let’s meet him!
How did you end up in Portland?
I moved here to dance. I went to school in Pittsburgh and then after school I took some jobs working all over the place, dancing and singing. I got a job on the Scotia Prince, which sailed from here (Portland) to Nova Scotia. On the cruise, we’d do the show in the evening and then a show in the afternoon because it was an 11-hour sail. We did a variety of song and dance numbers.
How has Blackstone’s changed in the past 19 years?
You could still smoke in the bar. You’d walk in and you’d have to take a cut out of the smoke and move it out to fit inside. It was very different here at that point in time because it was primarily a gay bar, I would say, and the leather scene was much more popular in Portland then than now. Some of the same people are still here. The walls are still the same color, the floor is still the same, but now [the bar] has a more of a presence for the entire community, instead of just the gay community. I’ve always considered this a bar for everybody. People call it home. I call it church. I say I’m going to church, and everybody knows what I’m talking about.
How does it feel being a gay black man in Portland?
I think I’ve been pretty blessed. I’ve had just a few things said to me about my skin color, but for the most part, this community here is just so loving and protective. I have felt pretty pretty safe in this community. I know some people may not have the same experience as I have.
Tell us about your drag persona
I started drag in college. Drag for me is just another expression of my art and my craft. I think since I was a little boy I just loved to be the center of attention. I just love to entertain, so drag is just my fun way to escape and let the world into the craziness inside my head. It also gives me a chance to sing the women’s vocal parts that I love. My drag name is Miss Spreada LaJoy. She’s very much a lady.
What are you like as a performer?
I love doing Tina Turner music, I love doing Etta James. I love those slow, sultry songs. I call them “park and barks” where you literally put yourself in a spot and you stand and deliver. I’m not that person that relies on tricks. I’m not a death drop queen. I see my drag sisters fall to the floor and I’m like, I would never. If I were to hit the ground I probably would not get back up. I love a park and bark where you get to tell a story. I like to pick numbers that no one else would do. The last drag show I did here I did a Samara Joy jazz song, but people in the house were captivated the minute the song started, which is what I want. I’m performing next in a show at Space Gallery on December 15th called Strut.
What are you most known for at Blackstone’s?
I would hope for being a friendly and nice person. I think most people know the theater and performance side of me. So, like, I’ll be walking down the street and I’m singing and someone’s like, oh my goodness, that’s Thomas! I walk in [to Blackstone’s] and I’m like, Yooohooo! I sing my entrance. I’ve met so many people here that are family. I think I’m known for being a happy, loving part of this big, beautiful community.
What do you do with your spare time?
LEGOs! Someone gifted me a Lego set that was shaped like flowers, and after that I just went crazy and started to put together all kinds of sets. It brings back good childhood memories. I don’t just do any set, though, it’s got to speak to me — be a little bit gay.
