By the 1980s and 90s, the Ghent neighborhood had a reputation as Norfolk’s unofficial gayborhood. At the time, Colley Avenue between Princess Anne Road and 21st Street was largely populated by small, local businesses. The area was well known and popular, but it retained a small neighborhood feel. Many LGBTQ people felt relatively safe living in the neighborhood which, at the time, still had many affordable apartments. Ghent followed a common trend of gentrification in the U.S. in which neighborhoods enjoy popularity and cultural advancement from development by queer people who are then displaced by more affluent heterosexual families interested in enjoying the arts, culture, and commerce largely facilitated by queer residents. Though some local staples like the Naro Theatre, Kelly’s Tavern, and No Frill Grill have ridden out gentrification, others have been replaced by the increasing presence of chains like Chipotle and Noodles & Company.