A new leather bar and nightclub is slated to open in Cathedral City at the old location of The Barracks after a complete renovation.
Eagle Cathedral City, which bills itself as the "new nest, same legend," plans to open on Oct. 30 with a weekend of events.
New owners Phillip and Jeremy Nalwalker led a multi-million dollar update to the former site of The Barracks, an LGBTQ bar that had become a mainstay of Cathedral City for over 30 years
.Jeremy Nalwalker told The Desert Sun the couple had been regular patrons of The Barracks, which provided a unique experience in the area.
"There wasn’t any other gay bar that offered the same vibe and programming that place did," Jeremy said. "It’s kind of something that’s needed here in the valley. We were surprised
that nobody else had come up with a concept to replace it."
Gay bars with the "eagle" name are usually part of a network of independently owned venues inspired by the 1970s New York City leather bar, The Eagle's Nest.
Jeremy and Phillip, who work respectively as a registered nurse and software engineer, hoped to ensure the culture continued to thrive in Palm Springs following the closure of The Barracks.
The idea caught on. A total of 234 people donated roughly $1.5 million to see the project across the finish line. The new venue has gained over 9,700 followers on Instagram and sold $60,000 in merchandise as the much-anticipated opening date approaches.
"We kept only the four walls and rebuilt everything inside them," Phillip said in a news release sent to The Desert Sun.
Updates include all new electrical, air conditioning and plumbing, a new roof, indoor and outdoor video walls and a patio expanded from 2,600 to 3,400 square feet.
With a capacity of 777, the owners say Eagle Cathedral City is physically the biggest LGBT bar in the greater Palm Springs area.
While it may be spacious, many in the community may think it has large shoes to fill. The Barracks was a beloved venue that closed in the summer of 2024 following disputes with state and local officials.
The city of Cathedral City said the bar had been exceeding its legal occupancy limit of 49, but that officials were working with the business to raise that limit to 400 if it took required steps that included installing fire sprinklers, exit signage and "panic hardware" on exit doors.
The California Department of Beverage Control had also investigated The Barracks over allegations of lewd conduct, a potential violation of the venue's liquor license.
The Barracks relocated to Phoenix after it closed, although it has not opened yet.
To celebrate the opening of Eagle Cathedral City, a grand opening celebration will be happening at noon, on Oct. 30, which coincides with Palm Springs Leather Pride. DJs Honey Davenport and Mateo Segade have been hired to perform that night. DJ James Anthony will launch his residency at the venue the next day.
Ticket prices have been set at $50 for the performances. More information is available at www.eaglebarcc.com/.
Sam Morgen covers local government for The Desert Sun. Reach him at smorgen@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Gay leather bar Eagle Cathedral City opens soon at old Barracks site
