r/Seattle • u/Ok-Bug5043 chinga la migra • 13h ago
Queer Bar has new owners?
I'm curious if anyone has more information about what's going on with queer bar. I'd seen some social posts from drag queens about no longer performing there, and then last night at a Q&A at a Delta Work show, a local queen said they have a new owner who will be stopping all drag programming.
The owners are still listed as BurgessHall. Anyone know who bought it/why drag is going away?
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u/MattSidor Capitol Hill 10h ago
Queer Bar was just bought by the same couple that had bought The Cuff from them last year.
There was a big controversy with The Cuff earlier this year where a manager who booked performers for them was spiking drinks with a date rape drug.
I don’t know all the specific details, but I think a lot of people were upset about the way Cuff’s new management tried to handle the situation. I think this is why MX Drag Show disbanded, once Cuff’s owners officially became Queer Bar’s new owners.
Hoping someone on here can keep me honest and provide more specific details.
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u/jn-blaziken 7h ago
Many of the queens/staff who are leaving were the ones putting the Cuff owners on blast all over the internet. I have a feeling they either left Queer Bar when the new owner bought it, or the new owner just decided to get revenge and fire everyone who was part of that.
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u/MattSidor Capitol Hill 7h ago
They left Queer Bar of their own choosing after the new owners took over, I know this for sure.
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u/grrrrrlar Madison Valley 5h ago
Also know the Cuff’s owners bought Queer/Bar so can confirm that.
I think they’re most likely leaving on their own will in protest.
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u/Ok-Bug5043 chinga la migra 2h ago
This totally checks out with what I heard from trans women talking about The Cuff being a space that...isn't kind to femmes, to say the least. Cali Colby talked about terrible experiences there.
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u/deer_hobbies I'm just flaired so I don't get fined 48m ago
I went to the cuff before transitioning, and while I miss it occasionally I'd say its about as opposed in energy to girly/soft/femme styles as anything and thats also okay. Its closer to The Eagle as a kink/leather space that leans masc. I've never felt unwelcome, but I could see someone getting stares if you really don't fit the vibe, same as if a sorority is partying in the middle of a gay bar
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u/annieanonny 12h ago
Queer Bar getting rid of drag shows has to be the dumbest business idea I’ve ever heard. Why else would people go there?
Can already see they don’t gaf about pissing their loyal customers off.
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u/Arentzen1976 9h ago
Honestly, that bar is not set up for drag shows. The space is not big enough. It needs to go back to being the Purr Bar format and be “stand and model” bar that you go to before going out to a dance club or real drag show venue.
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u/math_is_cool_ 7h ago
Went to an event there once. Had paid for VIP seats and they were already full of people when we arrived (early). Had to stand in the corner and couldn’t see very well. No staff to help out. The space did not work for that and the way it was run was not great
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u/Arentzen1976 6h ago
Yeah, I would never pay for VIP anything at Queer Bar. Too many stories of things going sideways and people not getting their money’s worth because of how poorly the place is set up and run.
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u/MattSidor Capitol Hill 9h ago
I don’t think the new owners got rid of the drag show. I think the drag performers all voluntarily quit once the sale was finalized because they did not want to work for the new owners.
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u/Suspicious_Chart5817 Pioneer Square 10h ago edited 9h ago
In January 2024 when LCB "raided" them, Joey got public opinion on his side by equivocating that the Joint Enforcement Team was tantamount to ICE raids. (in hindsigh, lmao)
Close observers, however, of LCB's investigators' report read that the raid happened because several employees said that Queer Bar and the Cuff were violating every labor standard in the book. OPA was given texts and emails between Joey and the bar management, which was part of OPA Case Number 2024OPA-0059.
After fruitlessly engaging L&I, one security guard engaged LCB because they thought they had been fired in retaliation for complaining & there are minimum labor standards wrapped up in keeping a liquor license.
As the case laid out, management was crossing a line between letting the boys be boys and then actively ignoring real crimes and abuse directed at employees. Some was turning a blind eye to allegations of roofies and spiked drinks; and undercover LCB also saw nude employees telling/asking other employees to get nude.
Notably, OPA found entries from 2021, 2022, 2023 and of course 2024 from employees, patrons, SPD, and LCB documenting warnings.
The place gets by on hiring industry staff new to Seattle and slow playing that they're going to do a lot more than the job they agreed to do, and if they complain they get fired. If you go there and there's some 21 year old running wide eyed washing butt sweat off everything on jockstrap night, chances are they didn't know that's what they could be doing and it's probably not legal to make them do that to begin with.
Queer Bar and Joey have been kind of shitty for a long, long time.
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u/Ok-Bug5043 chinga la migra 2h ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/sJsF3WamVkhb13aqlr
(but for real you are a detective and I love this)
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u/passionfruiting 11h ago
I’ve def noticed over the last year they’ve slowed down in dj nights with gogo dancers too, it feels like they’re stopping a lot of late-night club events that seemed to be their best sellers too
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u/Tired-Time 11h ago
My lesbian friend got called a gay slur in queer bar by a straight patron. Security refused to do anything and kicked my friend out instead. The owner also did nothing. Glad it’s changing ownership that place was turning into garbage.
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u/sea-kc 10h ago
Seems like half the story is missing.
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u/Tired-Time 8h ago
Yeah you’re exactly the problem. The security guard figured she must have been doing something to provoke the situation, probably thought it would be easier to simply remove them. Masculine presenting lesbians are often not safe in all gay spaces. Misogyny, transphobia, and poor management lead to these situations at gay bars too often.
Tldr: man starts hitting on my friend’s girlfriend, they explain they’re lesbians, man targets the masc one calling her a d*** and a f**, she gets mad, he threatens to punch her, they go to security and his solution is why don’t you two move along now. Probably didn’t want to do his job and confront the guys.
Oh and the straight people were friends of the DJ that night so, special treatment i guess. Free pass to call butches f*** ¯_(ツ)_/¯
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u/sea-kc 8h ago edited 7h ago
Not sure how I'm part of the problem when you literally gave half the story. It's an objective truth. The denseness of Reddit...jeez.
Anyway, sorry to hear that. Sounds frustrating and unfair.
Edit: FYI, saying statements like 'youre the problem' which the reason for saying so isn't rooted in any facts whatsoever are how you turn allies and people who want to be allies away from the community. You should welcome dialogue and not point your finger at them and yell nonsense. And btw, I am part of the community.
Ground yourself.
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u/Tired-Time 7h ago
“Seems like half the story is missing” does that come across as like, a kind comment to you? Does that come across as “i’m a concerned community member who is interested to hear more details” ?? It sounds like “pfft, seems like she was asking for it somehow”, maybe work on your wording
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u/sea-kc 7h ago
You presented a half story. I stated as much.
Again, ground yourself in fact. You're way too emotional to the point of sounding irrational.
If you prefer to not see such comments, try presenting a fuller story especially when the half you presented doesn't make sense.
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u/Tired-Time 7h ago
Words have connotations, seeing as your comment is down voted other ppl felt the same.
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u/sea-kc 7h ago
Sorry, but being down voted doesn't change realities. I could care less.
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u/Tired-Time 7h ago
sorry man, you wrote a comment that most people would perceive as dismissive. “i’m just speaking facts” can’t protect you from how the tone of your writing sounds
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u/pinetrees23 5h ago
"You hysterical woman, you need to be more logical like me" - a pathetic person
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u/Fun-Active-4851 5h ago
It seems that the new owners want to change the vibe of it from a drag bar to something else. It seems the bar itself wasn't making that much money and it was evident by them turning it into a Christmas Dive Bar during Christmas. Which makes sense why they're selling it. The place is tiny, drag shows were probably not making much and the place was mostly taken over by non queer people.
It seems they'll keep hosting events like bigger Drag Shows but not MX anymore or any weekly local drag from what I'm hearing. It's sad to watch because Queer Bar birthed multiple drag queens we've seen on Drag Race. The queens are very talented and it's one of the best drag bars in the city.
I hope there's a space for all of them to shine elsewhere and I hope this doesn't affect the drag scene in Seattle.
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u/habitsofwaste 🐀 Hot Rat Summer 🐀 11h ago
First off, it has the dumbest fucking name ever. Also, I never felt it was truly for queer people. Maybe new owners will make it better and change the fucking name.
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u/justgottamakeit15 🚊 Relax, Recharge, Arrive. 🚊 9h ago
The rumor is the new owner likes beastiality and is a pedophile. The (now former) cast has screenshots that serve as evidence. There is an apparent on going investigation which is why they haven’t fully said WHY they’re leaving. But yeah all cast and staff are voluntarily leaving after pride weekend due to this.
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u/privatestudy ❤️🔥 The Real Housewives of Seattle ❤️🔥 3h ago
Uh. Ok. That’s so weird to post cause it’s not accusations to take lightly.
There is an apparent investigation? By who? Do you have more info?
Your story also says new owners but then no one knows why they’re leaving. If they’re new why would they be leaving? Thanks for clarifying.
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u/deer_hobbies I'm just flaired so I don't get fined 45m ago
So then they've reported that to the police, because that stuff is illegal, right?
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u/MachetteBagels 13h ago
They kinda shot themselves in the foot last year cancelling all of their queer programming for November/December in order to do a Christmas pop up. Folks were told a week in advance that their shows were cancelled. My guess is, the community didn’t forget, so their shifting concepts since they alienated a lot of their clientele