The Post

It's Where We Drink

by Will Dean

1705 Chancellor St.

Tucked away on Chancellor Street just off Rittenhouse Square, The Post is a neighborhood gay destination that's hard to ID as such—until you notice the charcoal sketches of naked men adorning one of the walls. "Some people walk in, and it takes them a little while to realize that this is a gay bar," says manager James Caldwell. "Then, they usually see the drawings."

More classic than straight-up erotic, the unframed sketches look like the private musings of an artist. A friend of the owner (who wishes to remain anonymous) created the pieces, which have hung in the bar for 10 years. The poses, both in rest and in action, display a flowing style that employs shadow to accentuate each figure's physical features. And, since the drawings are faceless, they represent any man—issuing a universal welcome.

In case the pictures are too stationary for your taste, there's mobile entertainment as well—in the form of male dancers. Past the pool table and the cigarette machine, there's a back room with a small, mirrored stage where the fellas perform Fridays and Saturdays from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Nude pictures and bawdy dancers may sound risque, but it's tame when considering the history of the bar. The stage dates back to the 1950s, when ladies of the evening saw the speakeasy-like atmosphere as a safe place to meet clients.

Nowadays, The Post is a safe place to enjoy things a bit less scandalous—say, relaxing and having a beer. The drawings stimulate contemplation and conversation; the dancers stimulate on a completely different level. "We're the Cheers of gay bars," says Caldwell.