“My biggest ambition is just to let Long Beach know The Hare is here. And here’s what we’re trying to do in order make a stamp on this neighborhood.”
These are the words of Joshua Beadel, who, with his wife Pamela and Hare manager Melissa Almeraz, has soft-opened The Hare over the past several months. And now, they’re ready for their grand, three-day opening, from Sept. 5 through Sept. 7. (You can find all the details below.) Taking over the former BLACK Bar space after it permanently shuttered back in April, The Hare comes from the owners of The Breakfast Bar (Joshua and Pamela) and an overall hospitality and Gayborhood boss (Melissa). Which means, yes, the space is returning to its queer roots.
“This is a space for everyone—just kindly leave politics and religion at the door,” Melissa confidently said. “This is a proudly operated, shared space. As a community, we’re here for everyone that respects our business.”
I’ll say it for her: Just don’t be an asshat. And with that, we have the Gayborhood’s favorite new space.
The seeds that were laid in order to attract The Hare to Long Beach’s Broadway corridor.
Jeff Darling—former owner of The Brit in the Gayborhood and landlord of The Hare’s building—long had Joshua whispering one thing in his ear whenever he would visit The Breakfast Bar. It was well known that Shannon McManus and Bethany Black, BLACK Bar’s rightfully respected owners, had wanted to step out of their business following the closure of their Hollywood location mid-pandemic. With that, Joshua would kindly nudge Jeff:
“If they’re ever interested in releasing that place, we would love to rent it.”
Joshua and Pamela’s excitement wasn’t just to tackle a new space after celebrating over a decade of The Breakfast Bar (with two locations). It was a return to their bar roots—Joshua was well-known in the gay community for slingin’ drinks at Hamburger Mary’s—melded with their hospitality acumen—Pamela and Joshua both started at Red Lobster. They worked through the ranks of the industry before taking over the dilapidated space that became the first Breakfast Bar in 2013 in DTLB.
“It really was a blessing for everyone all around,” Pamela said. “But I know I couldn’t do this without somebody like Mel, especially knowing our history together.”
Melissa brings the precise kind of queer feminine energy Broadway needs.
“I have dreams for people,” Pamela said. “Even though they may not have been in their actual realm. And that was one of those things I was always thinking about. Like, if I could do a bar on Broadway, there’s nobody I would rather do it with other than her. It had to be her.”
There’s a community-wide, synchronized agreement that Melissa would, at some point or another, have her own bar. After opening Let’s Yolk About It with Rebecca Hinderer and working at spaces ranging from Ripples (RIP) to Sweet Water, Melissa is a hospitality and bar industry staple. And if this is the closest we can have her owning her own space (for now), we’ll take it.
“This project really has been the both of us,” Melissa said, gesturing to Pamela and Joshua. “They really took in what I presented when they first approached me. One of the sayings these two always have when folks are invited out to the bars: ‘You have a wild hair—come and see me.’ And The Hare was born.”
Defining The Hare.
Keeping on staff from BLACK Bar so they kept their jobs (and kept the pizza recipe). Melissa had a “built-in list in my brain” as to whom she wanted to bring on. (Hey there, Tim Carroll—and welcome home.) Melissa is tackling the creation of all their mixes and uses fresh juices that create everything from a blackberry sour to a hot honey paloma to fresh basil gimlets: “Broadway can do better—and I am going to prove that.”
These are just a few of the things that define The Hare.
“There was a point to have this character that takes a life of its own,” Joshua said. “Because as we grow, we want every one of our places to be all-encompassing and accepting for any group of people, no matter who you are, what you’re about.”
What does this mean for people who aren’t clear? Well, the guideline to bar etiquette is literally written on the wall.
Bar etiquette at The Hare isn’t hard to comprehend because it’s literally written on the wall.
And here is how it reads:
WELCOME ALL! Come in, grab a drink, make a friend — but leave politics and religion at the door. Good vibes only!
CHAT. Be curious. Share a story, an opinion, or a laugh. Listen with interest. Sharing is caring—or at least mutually entertaining from attentive vulnerability to tipsy humor. It’s about connection.
RESPECT IS SEXY. Pick up on nonverbal cues, meaning: ask, don’t assume. Don’t be creepy or handsy. A smile is not an invitation for touch. Be polite. Ask for what you need from servers and bartenders. Treat others how you want to be treated. Sounds simple, but it goes both ways.
SOCIAL(ALI)ZE. Introduce yourself. Get to know someone new or reconnect with your bestie. Put your phone down and be present. You might meet your new best friend, your next love interest, or a future co-worker. Just don’t be weird. Smile, laugh, converse and keep it consensual.
TRUST. Sober you is usually smarter. Drunk bolder isn’t always cuter.
BEWARE OF THE HARE. The rabbit hole isn’t always cute. Hydrate & eat pizza.
Everything you need to know about the grand opening of The Hare in Long Beach.
Friday, September 5
- 3PM – 5PM: Ribbon Cutting & Kevin Wood – Live Entertainment
- 6PM – 7PM: Paul Muñoz Performs
- 9:30PM: DJ & Dancing
Saturday, September 6
- Noon – 3PM: Brunch
- Noon – 5PM: Outdoor Market & Free Pizza Slices
- 1PM – 3PM: Live Entertainment with Kevin Wood
- 9:30PM: DJ
Sunday, September 7
- 3PM – 7 PM: DJ – Man a Machine
- Noon – 3PM: Brunch
- Noon – 5PM: Free Pizza Slices
Wait—how is The Hare’s space intimately tied to the Gayborhood?
Paradise Bar & Restaurant, a beloved queer bar and eatery, had long stood as a cornerstone of Long Beach’s Broadway gayborhood—its presence stretching back to the 1980s. Known for its welcoming piano nights and loyal crowd, it was owned for more than thirty years by real estate agent and Falcon bar proprietor Michael Barber. Paradise not only anchored the eastern edge of the Broadway strip’s gay scene but also offered generations of queer patrons a sense of safety and belonging.
So when BLACK purchased the property in 2018, plenty of locals raised an eyebrow—and for good reason. For one, a landmark queer space in Long Beach wasn’t being passed on to another local queer-run bar, as had been the case with familiar sister spots like Sweet Water and Broadway Bar. And beyond that, BLACK itself didn’t identify as an LGBTQ venue, stirring unease within the community.
Still, credit where it’s due: BLACK made a concerted effort to connect with Long Beach’s diverse audiences—particularly queer folks and women. The brand also carried with it a certain legacy, thanks to its now-closed but storied Hollywood location. More importantly, the ownership invested in Broadway at a time when empty storefronts and declining foot traffic were eroding the strip’s vibrancy, even before the pandemic hit. For that alone, they earned the community’s gratitude and support—up until the very end.
The Hare is located at 1800 E. Broadway.
