Queer Joy Interview #10: Cowboy Sam
I met Cowboy Sam on 10/11/24 in Longview, TX to learn about Cowboy Sam's RMC, the only Gay bar in East Texas
“[Queer joy is] happiness within the community.
RMC started in a small trailer on the side of Estes Pkwy in 2004 or 2005. It was just an old rundown trailer, but it was what everybody could afford at the time.
Craig was the original guy who wanted to open RMC-he was amazing. The reason he wanted to open RMC was so the community would have a place to go and hang out. It didn't necessarily have to be about drinking or anything like that, it was more that there was a place for everyone to congregate.
After that in 2009, Craig and Michael went together and they bought this (the current location) building on High St. It took him about a year or so to completely remodel the inside and get it ready to open. My partner and I helped him work on it.
In 2010, RMC opened here. Rafael, Michael, Craig- that's where RMC came from. Rainbow Members Club came in at a later point in time. They had it open for many years, then it closed a little before Covid. It was closed for a couple of years then another man that I know, came in and tried to open it. He had it open about six or seven months, then I bought it from him and I've been running it as Cowboy Sam's RMC since November the 17th of 2023.
It's been a labor of love, I can tell you, it's required a lot. That's the same with Craig. He put more in this business than anyone could imagine. And so really, Craig is the one that you really need to focus on. He was the one that originally started this, I've just been lucky enough to come in. My partner and I were a big part of the club as well, we were always here, always a part of everything that happened. When he passed away, and the club was closed, I knew that he would want the club open. So that's the main drive behind me opening it back up.
I've put everything I can into the bar at this point, paying the bills and getting enough people here to pay the bills, and that's all I ever wanted out of it. It doesn’t have to make money, just as long as it could stay open. That's been my goal, just to keep it open and have it here for the community.”
-Cowboy Sam
Make sure to drop by Cowboy Sam’s RMC!
203 S High St, Longview, TX 75601
