Julius’ is well known as the site of one of the country’s first organized gay rights actions. At the time it was illegal in NYC for bars to serve “disorderly” customers and homosexuals were by law automatically lumped into this category. When several gay men identified themselves as such and ordered a drink, they were denied service despite the fact that Julius’ was already a prime hang out for the community. This move led to the challenging of the law which was eventually overturned. Today Julius’ is considered to be the oldest continually operating gay bar in the city and is popular as a place for cheap drinks in the increasingly pricey Greenwich Village neighborhood.