Mable Peabody's Beauty Parlor and Chainsaw Repair has closed its doors on Highway 380 after nearly 40 years. Mable's had been colloquially known as "Denton's only gay bar" since 1979. Hyperlocal website The Dentonite was the first to confirm its unceremonious passing over Labor Day weekend.
Owner Kelly Sanders confirmed Mable's closure by phone. Sanders says she has been working "18 hours a day" trying to clean the space out. "You think you'd get a break when you close the doors," Sanders said.
The club was destroyed by arson in 2007 and re-opened in a different location. Besides hosting burlesque, drag shows and "gay proms," Mable's hosted bands and DJs who would sometimes go on to national acclaim. Strike up a conversation with a regular and you would often hear the tiny-town drawl of someone who drove an hour to get there. Mable's mattered far outside of Denton.
"Yeah, we're closed," Sanders confirmed. "It's good and I'm looking forward to the future."
As for all the media attention, Sanders says she has not had a chance to go online to read the various accounts. "Just haven't had a minute to think about it," said Sanders.
When the dust settles, she says she will address Mable's extensive legacy. "I will make some eloquent type of post and my heart will pour out," Sanders said.
