Adam
David
Bencomo

Late on Wednesday July 25, we received several calls from patrons letting us know that our managers were announcing the surprise unsanctioned closure of The Baltimore Eagle. By the time we arrived, we found a caravan of cars parked in the alley, two of our managers, and their associates scurrying to and from their cars with arms full of liquor and merchandise. By the time we got inside the building, much of The Eagle’s equipment (some originally from The Hippo), leather goods placed on consignment by vendors in the leather community, and irreplaceable leather memorabilia of the Eagle, some dating back decades, had been stolen.

We soon discovered a very upsetting public statement by the two disgruntled members of our former management team, 4 Crazy Guys, LLC. The statement was crafted to take aim at the safety, privacy, and inclusivity that The Baltimore Eagle has come to be known for over nearly 30 years since its founding. Some things are best in done in the dark [wink], but others need to be exposed for the good of our community. With that in mind, we’d like to shine light on some of the false and disparaging statements made.

• No, we never insisted our managers wear uniforms. That’s ridiculous; personal expression is one The Eagle’s most proud traditions. But we did insist that the Health Code be respected to ensure food safety for our patrons. Bare bottoms and bear bodies make the Eagle feel like home; but food safety must always be a priority in the kitchen and around ice that goes in someone’s drink. Unfortunately, we had cause to ask our former managers to come up with some boundaries for our bar backs. We regret this became an issue for them.
• Yes, we insisted on access to our own security system, which we use not only for the safety of our patrons, but also to monitor cash registers and cover charges. Unfortunately, we often found those particular cameras unplugged.
• No, we never insisted that a women’s event be tame. (When The Eagle becomes tame for anybody, we promise to hang up our leathers for good!) But we did have to step in when we received a number of poignant complaints after our former managers promoted an event we held for a battered women’s shelter by running the headline “A Night of Kinky Fuckery.” The headline was very, very poor taste, we were justifiably blasted for it, and we regret such an insensitive ad was ever associated with The Eagle.
• Yes, we were also forced to address our former managers’ advertising in order to prevent The Eagle from being associated with intolerance when our former managers thoughtlessly published an Easter ad showing Jesus character exposing his anus. We get it; of course there are reasons to be angry with the Vatican. However, if we want people to respect our choices, then we should be tolerant of others. Even if we don’t agree, respect is free and it’s the foundation on which understanding is built. Besides, we’re pretty sure the message of tolerance taught by Jesus is quite different than the Vatican’s stance on gay marriage.
• No, although they received tremendous financial support from our patrons and from the Parrish Family, our former managers had not been honoring their financial obligations in the community (or to their own partners for that matter). We understand that financial management of a place like The Eagle is tough. However, there’s a difference between making an effort to do the right thing, and bouncing checks and dodging phone calls from business owners in the community who are working at least as hard to make a living. Fortunately for our former managers, they were able to take several nice vacations before cashing out.

To our vendors: Steven Pevner of The Saint at Large in New York, Anne Byrne of Alternative Sites, The Dungeon Store, and Perfect Fit, Orrin Yesko of Anarchy for All, and many others who’s time, craftsmanship, and attention to the details of leather and fetish craft make their products so amazing, we thank you for your association with Eagle Leathers. Please know that we are working to retrieve the goods taken by our former managers and their associates.

So, as for that part of 4 Crazy Guys, LLC, we’ll let their actions speak for themselves. The fact that they left the community so abruptly and under such a cloud says more than we ever could. We prefer to remember our former managers for their great ideas, dedication, and passion that enabled the Eagle to spread its wings and flourish over the past year and a half; and for that, we thank them. The staff’s professionalism and ability to not only go above and beyond, but to tailor each and every patron’s experience was one of a kind. The Eagle’s success has been a direct reflection of their warm, welcoming, and accommodating personalities