Omar Lowry opened #1 Fifth Avenue in the heart of Hillcrest in 1981, providing something for everyone, including a pianist patrons could sing along with.

“Back in those days Hillcrest was the thriving center for the GLBT community and it still is today,” he said.

Today #1 Fifth Avenue continues to offer something for everyone, including boys, beer, liquor, a pool table, video games and seating at an outside bar.

“Still, one of the most popular things the guests at the bar enjoy is the sidewalk cruising when the front windows are open,” he said, noting that during the holidays it’s one of the most festive places to have a cocktail.

Lowry moved to San Diego in 1969, where he immediately got involved with the GLBT community. He was the first Emperor of the Imperial Court and has worked with many of the community leaders and activists.

Lowry recalled when a person couldn’t even touch another person in a gay bar or they would be thrown out or arrested for lewd or lascivious conduct.

“Things changed and young people today have no real experience of what being gay or lesbian back in the day was like,” he said.

Lowry recalled the ’70s as a time of free love and huge parties with hundreds of people celebrating in the bars around town.

“Disco was all the rage and so were all the hot young men,” he said.

In the 1980s, however, everything changed with the onset of the AIDS epidemic.

Lowry was involved from day one raising money to bring awareness in hopes for a cure, which is something that he continues to do today.

Lowry enjoys sharing his life with his three dogs and two roommates in Del Cerro.

He invites everyone in the community to stop by #1 on Fifth Avenue, where he says the people are always friendly and the drinks are always flowing.