The Brightest Star at Coney Island’s Freak Bar Is Lola Star

As the friendly, handsome, and tattooed bartender slides a bottle of Coney Island Pilsner my way, a sexy lady with an albino boa constrictor around her neck walks across the room, as does a shaved-headed and bearded fellow in a dress. A carnival barker in arm garters and tambourine hat stands by the entrance to the sideshow beckoning tourists to come inside. This is the Freak Bar, and these are the freaks.

I’m sitting at the bar with Lola Star, an artist, designer, and self-proclaimed “creator of magical worlds.” It’s hard to stand out in this crowd, but Lola is known for her eponymous gift shop located on the boardwalk of Coney Island; her roller rink, Dreamland, which was housed in the historical landmark Childs Building for two years before relocating to Prospect Park; and her community activism in the fight to defend the beloved character of Coney Island against encroaching developers, which was depicted in the documentary Coney Island: Dreams for Sale.

I first knew Lola in high school, where we both grew up, in the Detroit area. (She had a different name back then, but let’s stick with the one she adopted and became so well known by.) Catching up with her now, I learn she’s since lived in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, for ten years. She has firmly rooted herself in the Coney Island scene, which thrives at Freak Bar, a place that she usually visits weekly. It’s here that she takes a break from nearly nonstop work and hangs with friends like Insectivora, an insect-eating turned fire-breathing tattoo-faced juggler; the sword swallower Heather Holliday; Bambi the mermaid; Brooklyn Baby Doll, a go-go dancer known to take the subway here in her bikini and heels; and the world-famous burlesque performers the Pontani Sisters—all of whom also perform at the sideshow connected to the Freak Bar. As my eyes widen, Lola nonchalantly explains, “I know all sorts of sword swallowers and fire breathers.” And they all know Lola Star, the creator of magical worlds, who throws roller skating parties, designs costumes for burlesque and sideshow performers, enchants visitors with her own wares, and protests on the steps of City Hall—all in the name of keeping America’s Playground freaky.

It’s not unusual to see a half-naked woman in pasties hanging out here with a sword swallower and a tourist from some crazy out-of-the-way place in Poland.

I like to come by the bar for the burlesque shows. They are the most mind-blowing shows that you will see in the world. They have some of the best performers. These are the burlesque shows that get super wild. You’ll see things here that you won’t see at any other shows. It’s the real deal. They’ll pass boundaries of things that in Manhattan you can’t get away with, because it’s Coney Island—like a bunch of naked people taking a bubble bath on stage. It’s kind of like the Wild West here. Coney Island’s always been about pushing boundaries and challenging people in this way that other places might not.

There’s this saying in Coney Island that when you come here, once you step on the beach and get the sand in your shoes, then you’re hooked for life. I came here and got the sand in my shoes, and that was it. Like falling in love. I felt like this was my place.

They tried to scare me out of Coney Island, but I stood up to them.

Coney Island has this magical liberating aura about it. You feel freer and more open. Maybe it’s because of the beach and the amusement park.

The Freak Bar was the epicenter of the Save Coney Island movement. We would start many of our meetings here. We made signs here. We all came together to figure out what to do next. It was sort of our headquarters.

This was a place where we met and figured out logistics but also a place where we’d celebrate what Coney Island is and perpetuate the spirit of Coney Island by being here and partying here.

When I first opened my business, the fact that I was a woman and that I wasn’t from New York made a lot of people think they could take advantage of me. They tried to scare me out of Coney Island. But I stood up to them, and I really held my ground. For me, it was a tremendous growing experience because I learned the strength of resilience that I never foresaw having to develop in myself. I think it prepared me for my future challenges of fighting the developer when he came to Coney Island.

Coney Island can be intense. It’s overwhelming. And it is challenging. It’s never consistent. It’s always a roller-coaster ride. There’s no stability or consistency, which is great. And I thrive on that. But it can also wear on you and get you down. Which is a reason I wanted to grow my business outside of Coney Island so I have a little more of a balance.

It’s always a mind-opening experience.

Some days I don’t want to feel this intense Coney Island. But then I come back here and it’s my home. Like it or not, my soul and my being are so connected here.

When I come here, it really feels like coming home and coming back to my family. I’ve known these people for so long that we’re like this family.

This bar embodies the spirit of Coney Island. That intoxicating magic that you feel when you come to Coney Island. Every night’s a different adventure. You never know who you’re going to meet or what type of experience you’re going to have. It’s always a mind-opening experience.

August 19, 2015

(Photos by Nicole Disser)