On May 23rd The Abbey Food & Bar celebrated 30 years since its founding in May 1991. The Abbey has become an epicenter of the Local LGBTQ Community in West Hollywood.
Each year, the City of West Hollywood celebrates the artistic contributions of the LGBTQ community with its vibrant 40-day-long One City One Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival. The festival kicked-off on Harvey Milk Day, Saturday, May 22, 2021 and runs through Wednesday, June 30, 2021, which marks the end of Pride month.
This year, to recognize Harvey Milk Day-weekend with something extra, the City of West Hollywood conferred a proclamation officially declaring Sunday, May 23, 2021 as “The Abbey Day” on the occasion of celebrating The Abbey Food & Bar’s 30 years of success.
Proclamation marking this official declaration was presented by Mayor Lindsey P. Horvath to David Cooley, owner of The Abbey, on behalf of the City Council of the City of West Hollywood.
The Abbey Food & Bar opened in West Hollywood in May 1991. Since then, it has become a social and cultural epicenter for the local LGBTQ community. Thirty years ago, David Cooley, founder and owner of The Abbey, invested in a small, discreet space in West Hollywood that he renovated into a coffeehouse. During three decades, The Abbey has expanded five times, growing from a humble coffee shop to a 16,000-square-foot venue with multiple rooms, four bars, and a full menu.
“David Cooley and The Abbey have made an indelible impact on West Hollywood,” said Mayor Horvath. “The Abbey is as much a community hub as it is a global destination. It generously gives back by supporting dozens of LGBTQ and nonprofit groups, including regularly hosting events to support local organizations. We are so lucky to have The Abbey in our community and I’m thrilled to celebrate its 30 years of success!”
In addition to a restaurant and bar, The Abbey serves as a de facto community center, often becoming a place to gather in protest or celebration of important milestones impacting the LGBTQ community, such as the passage of Proposition 8 in California or the announcement of the Supreme Court decision affirming the right of same-sex couples to get married.
