The College Cue Club Norfolk T-Shirt — Vintage 1988 Gay Bar & LGBTQ+ Nightlife History Tee

The College Cue Club Norfolk T-Shirt — Vintage 1988 Gay Bar & LGBTQ+ Nightlife History Tee

Remember one of Norfolk, Virginia’s most important LGBTQ+ gathering places with The College Cue Club T-Shirt, an original Walt & Pete® design inspired by surviving nightclub advertisements from March 1988.

Opened near Old Dominion University on New Year’s Eve 1970 and generally remembered as established in 1971, the College Cue Club stood at 46th Street and Killam Avenue in Norfolk, Virginia. Also known simply as the Cue Club, it became a prominent destination for LGBTQ+ college students, local residents, drag performers, and queer military personnel stationed throughout the Hampton Roads region.

The club combined a disco, dance floor, pool tables, cocktails, dining, and live entertainment. Its advertisements promoted “The Club with Vision!” and described the establishment as offering “The Night, The Dance, The Lights, The Music, The People.” Regular show nights, Sunday buffets, guest chefs, and drag pageants made it more than an ordinary neighborhood bar—it was a social gathering place where members of the community could meet, perform, dance, and find a measure of belonging.

During the 1980s, the College Cue Club also served an important community role during the emerging AIDS crisis. It hosted fundraising performances, including an AIDS House fundraiser and the Queens Against AIDS Benefit Show, as well as pageants, talent competitions, organizational gatherings, and other community events. Members of Norfolk’s Youth Out United later recalled dining at the club following their Sunday meetings.

The exact year the College Cue Club closed remains uncertain, although contemporary records confirm that it continued operating into the early 1990s. Its surviving advertisements, event notices, and personal recollections preserve the story of a nightclub closely connected to Norfolk’s LGBTQ+, college, drag, and military communities.

THE DESIGN

The front features a restored interpretation of the Cue Club’s historic sailor-and-ship’s-wheel emblem. The nautical imagery reflects Norfolk’s identity as a major American port and naval city, while the figure holds a pool cue in reference to one of the club’s signature attractions.

The back features a bold, late-1980s pool table design inspired by the club’s March 1988 advertising. Angular geometric forms, muted teal, burgundy, golden yellow, and warm cream reproduce the visual energy of an era shaped by disco, dance music, nightlife posters, and imperfect screen printing.

Historic advertising language incorporated into the artwork includes:

• The College Cue Club
• The Club with Vision!
• The Night • The Dance • The Lights • The Music • The People
• Fine Food • Cocktails • Progressive Music & Dance
• Show Nights • Monday • Thursday • Sunday
• 46th & Killam Avenue • Norfolk, Virginia 23508

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT

• Honors a significant gathering place in Norfolk’s LGBTQ+ history
• Based on surviving 1988 College Cue Club advertisements
• Features distinct front and back artwork
• Includes the historic Cue Club sailor-and-wheel emblem
• Celebrates Norfolk’s drag, college, nightlife, and queer military communities
• Vintage four-color styling created especially for dark shirts
• A meaningful conversation piece for LGBTQ+ history enthusiasts
• Designed by Walt & Pete®, where forgotten moments are forever remembered

Please note: This is a newly created historical tribute and is not original merchandise produced by the College Cue Club.

Product Features

• Soft cotton or cotton-blend fabric 
• High-quality DTG printed front and back graphics 
• Unisex modern fit 
• Breathable everyday comfort 
• Durable long-lasting print 

EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY

Product information: Gildan 5000, 2-year warranty in the EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC

Warnings, Hazard: For adults, Made in Nicaragua

Care instructions: Machine wash: cold (max 30C or 90F), Non-chlorine bleach as needed, Tumble dry: low heat, Do not iron, Do not dry clean