Here are some tributes to Bill Brock, owner of The Paddock Club
Rest In Peace Bill . . .
By Patrick Enderle as published in "Q-notes"
Greenville lost a great man on February 27, 2007. His name is Bill Brock. Although there are many stories and tales attached to his name, I was fortunate enough to get the chance to know the man behind them. For five years of my life, Bill Brock was my boss at the Paddock Club in Greenville, NC. The Paddock Club was a magical place, at one time being the oldest gay bar in the state of NC. Bill had the courage to create a place for the gay community to go when most of the world would have preferred our community to disappear. Throughout his time there, one of his primary concerns was always making sure that there was a place to go, where we could be ourselves and share our lives and loves with each other. Many people will say that Bill was just a selfish, money-grubbing business man who never really cared about his customers. I would tell those people that they are pathetic and ignorant to whom he really was. There were times in Bill's life where he would eat the finest meals of peanut butter sandwiches and Vienna sausages, because he was more concerned with using his money to keep the Paddock Club open for the community. As his bar manager, he and I "butted heads" many times where he did not support the "money" side of the issue, rather the "people" side. Nights when bad weather was coming through town, I would say we could still stay open. Bill would adamantly refuse, because he did not want people out on the roads during bad weather. When Sunday nights got really slow, sometimes with no one showing up, I had recommended closing on those nights. Again, Bill adamantly refused. He said we needed to stay open for even just one customer who may come in, not to make money off of a few drinks that wouldn't even cover the electricity for that night, but rather to make sure that one person had a place to go to possibly escape whatever discrimination he/she may be facing. Even in the face of his bar closing to a competitor, with "mud" being slung across the battle lines, Bill still insisted that no matter what, we had all had to support each other and make sure that the gay community had a place to go. No, Bill was not a perfect man, but I would challenge anyone who would make that statement about anyone, especially themselves. But definitely one thing Bill is a pioneer who helped our community in the beginning, always making sure that we had a place to go. Yeah, he knew there were teenagers sneaking in underage into the club, underage and presenting him a legal problem, but he still let them. He knew we all needed a place to go to feel "normal" instead of "odd". For those of you, who are gay in Greenville and may have never been to the Paddock Club, do understand that even you are granted a social scene partially because of Bill Brock. Now, Bill never really liked people making a fuss over him, but do take a moment in your own time to give credit or recognition to man who really helped to establish the gay "community" in Greenville, NC. Thanks!
Greenville lost a great man on February 27, 2007. His name is Bill Brock. Although there are many stories and tales attached to his name, I was fortunate enough to get the chance to know the man behind them. For five years of my life, Bill Brock was my boss at the Paddock Club in Greenville, NC. The Paddock Club was a magical place, at one time being the oldest gay bar in the state of NC. Bill had the courage to create a place for the gay community to go when most of the world would have preferred our community to disappear. Throughout his time there, one of his primary concerns was always making sure that there was a place to go, where we could be ourselves and share our lives and loves with each other. Many people will say that Bill was just a selfish, money-grubbing business man who never really cared about his customers. I would tell those people that they are pathetic and ignorant to whom he really was. There were times in Bill's life where he would eat the finest meals of peanut butter sandwiches and Vienna sausages, because he was more concerned with using his money to keep the Paddock Club open for the community. As his bar manager, he and I "butted heads" many times where he did not support the "money" side of the issue, rather the "people" side. Nights when bad weather was coming through town, I would say we could still stay open. Bill would adamantly refuse, because he did not want people out on the roads during bad weather. When Sunday nights got really slow, sometimes with no one showing up, I had recommended closing on those nights. Again, Bill adamantly refused. He said we needed to stay open for even just one customer who may come in, not to make money off of a few drinks that wouldn't even cover the electricity for that night, but rather to make sure that one person had a place to go to possibly escape whatever discrimination he/she may be facing. Even in the face of his bar closing to a competitor, with "mud" being slung across the battle lines, Bill still insisted that no matter what, we had all had to support each other and make sure that the gay community had a place to go. No, Bill was not a perfect man, but I would challenge anyone who would make that statement about anyone, especially themselves. But definitely one thing Bill is a pioneer who helped our community in the beginning, always making sure that we had a place to go. Yeah, he knew there were teenagers sneaking in underage into the club, underage and presenting him a legal problem, but he still let them. He knew we all needed a place to go to feel "normal" instead of "odd". For those of you, who are gay in Greenville and may have never been to the Paddock Club, do understand that even you are granted a social scene partially because of Bill Brock. Now, Bill never really liked people making a fuss over him, but do take a moment in your own time to give credit or recognition to man who really helped to establish the gay "community" in Greenville, NC. Thanks!
By Jeremy Jordan
On Tuesday, February 27th, 2007 William "Bill" Brock passed away. Many of you may not know that name, but it is a very important name in the history of the gay and lesbian community of Greenville and the surrounding area. 34 years ago Bill changed his Country Western nightclub on Dickinson Avenue, The Paddock Club, into a gay club. At that time there was nowhere east of Durham for gays and lesbians to gather socially without fear. Times were very different in Eastern NC 34 years ago and Bill took a great personal and financial risk in providing a place "we" could gather and be a family. It is easy to live our lives today and not remember those who went before us to pave the way, but we should all take a moment to remember Bill and the many contributions he made to our community over the almost 31 years the Paddock Club was open.
By Timothy Corp
Stonewall may have been the biggie, but smaller stands like Bill's were just as important and deserve rememberance and respect. Thank you, Mr. Brock. Rest In Peace.
By Jamie Monroe, MNCA 1987-1988
It's the brave men and women like Bill that went against society to make our community what it is today! If we didn't have clubs such as "The Paddock Club," we wouldn't have had a safe place to flourish. So many people would still be closeted,scared and uneducated about their own community....Thank u for posting this about a legend in the NC Gay community and Thank u Bill Brock for your blood, sweat and tears and most of all ur bravery.
