I recently posted a pic of the old mansion, the Oglivie- Weiner House and the comments went viral within an hour. It has recently been purchased by John Bryant and his wife to be renovated into a bed and breakfast.
So many memories for so many people were born in this wonderful magical place. Quoting Bailey Thomas,, "The Florentine on Austin Place not far from downtown Shreveport. Originally home to the W.B. Ogilvie family and later to the Samuel Weiner family. In the 1950s, Robert Friend opened it as "The Florentine" which was a gathering spot for entertainers, celebrities and the eclectic. From "Historic Shreveport".
In the 70's Gene Barnett took possession of the grand old home. It became the home of the first openly gay bar in Shreveport. Again, those who were members of the LGBT community as well as those who weren't, celebrities, (I met a few myself as a teen there) and Shreveport's elite would dance the night away under the big disco ball that hung in the main ballroom.
Below are just a few of the comments where those who were there and miss it open their hearts to tell of the wonderful people we met there, some we loved, some we lost. But mostly we found ourselves there and connected to many who were there for the same reason.
The FLORENTINE CLUB on Austin Place with the name emblazoned it. During its hey...See more
by: Ernie Roberson
