How Portland pop-ups and bars are reinventing LGBTQ+ spaces
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Queer Prom is one of the events Doc Marie's has hosted as a way to appeal to changing nightlife habits. Photo: Courtesy of Doc Marie's
Portland has lost many of its iconic gay bars in recent years, but pop-up events and alternative spaces are increasingly stepping in to fill the void.
Why it matters: A slew of historic LGBTQ+ spaces — Crush, Misfit's Bar + Lounge, Sissy's and, more recently, CC Slaughters — have announced closures over the last three years, raising concerns about how to preserve the city's celebrated queer culture, especially amid political hostility.
The big picture: The pandemic brought on lingering economic challenges for businesses, and it significantly changed how people socialize, Olga Bichko, owner of Doc Marie's told Axios.
- Bichko sensed a shift from casual bar hangs toward event-driven outings when she opened her "lesbian bar for everyone" in 2022.
- That's why she made it a point to include daily programming — like trivia nights, singles happy hours and community therapy — in her business plan to meet consumers' expectations.
- "It's a bar, it's an event space, it's a cultural hub, it's a music venue, it's a dance floor, it's everything," Bichko said.
What they're saying: Carrie Hinton, founder of Lesbian Culture Club, noticed the same trend — a shrinking of physical queer spaces and the desire to have robust alternatives that catered to everyone.
- Initially launched as a supper club last year, the organization now hosts pickleball tournaments, outdoor retreats, watch parties and fitness classes.
- "I think a lot of folks are longing for a way to genuinely connect," Hinton told Axios. "And this is answering that."
Zoom in: Pop-up parties are also becoming more popular in Portland's queer circles. From high-energy patio dance parties hosted by Blow Pony to drag burlesque/variety shows, plus trans socials and sapphic and nonbinary DJ nights.
The bottom line: To keep thriving, Portland's LGBTQ+ culture needs pop-ups, brick-and-mortars and returning customers, Bichko said.
- "Events can go away in the snap of a finger," she said. "It's the intentional support that is able to sustain a place in a city like ours, and it's our community of regulars."