How this LGBTQ+ couple transformed their Dallas gay bar into a winter wonderland
Two gay men, a handful of power tools, and some yuletide spirit — what could go wrong?
Mark
Two gay men, a handful of power tools, and some yuletide spirit — what could go wrong?
For the holigay season, CRUSH in Dallas — which was nominated for Best Comeback Bar in this year’s Best of GayCities — has transformed into Hot Frosty, a seasonal, nostalgic, and vibrantly decorated pop-up bar that runs until December 28.
While the LGBTQ+ club is known in the Texas area for its imaginative drinks and premium performances, owners and husbands David and Andrew Perre have truly outdone themselves with Christmas-themed drag performances, a maximalist drink menu, floor-to-ceiling adornments, and even photos with Santa.
But Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was their club; accordingly, the two have recently been sharing their DIY journey on Instagram, and it’s putting the “G” in “HGTV,” baby.
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Watch.
Their first video opens with a simple premise: “We own a gay bar, and we have four days to transform into a viral holiday pop-up. Can we make it happen? Let’s find out.”
Of course, that starts with unloading a massive amount of decorations from their storage unit, some expletive-laden mental breakdowns, and a quick Panda Express break. LOL.
By the end of day one, David and Andrew had cleared out all of Walgreens’ holiday-themed ribbons, decked the ceiling out in glittering lights, and spent 12 hours handling glittery balls. All in a gay’s day’s work!
With three days left, the second episode followed David and Andrew as they picked up even more ornaments and had a heated discussion about decorating behind the bar, perfectly scored by some reality TV-ready music straight out of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
“At the end of the day, the DIY divas will persevere,” David captioned the clip.
In the third episode, we got a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of staple guns and empty boxes.
With the help of some friends, the husbands transformed the ceiling into a dazzling display of hanging presents and ornaments, and continued on their mission to cover every square inch of their bar in holiday spirit.
“It is really Santa’s workshop in this b*tch,” David joked.
Watch.
In less than a week, their hilarious DIY series has racked up over 180,000 views on Instagram.
And spoiler alert: Not only did they deliver on their promise to transform Crush into a viral holiday pop-up bar, but the girls, gays, and theys are loving it.
In fact, D Magazine recently awarded Crush the Best New(ish) Gay Bar of 2025. A gay yuletide indeed!
Below, check out some photos of the stunning final product.
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