The Paddock Club

The Paddock Club was a dance/night club located at 1008-B Dickinson Avenue in Greenville, North Carolina, that catered primarily to the gay and lesbian community of Greenville and all of Eastern North Carolina. The club was in operation for 30 years and 6 months from June 1973 until December 23, 2003 and was, at the time it closed, the oldest continuously operating LGBT club in the state. After the December 2003 closing, the club reopened for one night for a final farewell party on January 31, 2004. The Paddock Club, founded by Bill Brock, was originally a Country Western nightclub. In 1973, Brock decided to turn it into a gay club. At that time there were no places east of Raleigh for the LGBT community to gather socially without fear. The first night after the change, Brock greeted his members at the door and told them The Paddock was now a gay club and that he would be glad to refund their membership fees if they were no longer interested in coming to the club. Many accepted his offer, a few did not. The Paddock encompassed approximately 5,000 square feet (460 m2) including the main club room where the dance floor and stage was located, a mezzanine level overlooking the approx. 30 ft (9.1 m) wide stage, a large pool room which doubled as a back stage area, an outdoor patio area, a full kitchen, DJ booth, storage and office areas. The Paddock Club was the birthplace of the Mi

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