Lesbian Bar Cubbyhole Opens Back Up
Queer watering hole was closed for four months after briefl y reopening
BY TAT BELLAMY-WALKER
One of the last lesbian
bars in New York City,
the Cubbyhole, has offi
cially reopened for
business.
A large crowd of patrons fl ocked
to the LGBTQ watering hole at 281
West 12th Street in Manhattan’s
West Village on April 8 to celebrate
the bar’s return after reopening
last summer and shuttering again
in December when it became too
cold for outdoor operations.
Known for its colorful lanterns,
old school jukebox, and famous
“Finding Nemo” decor, Cubbyhole
has managed to survive the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Other lesbian outposts in the
city include the neighboring bar
Henrietta Hudson and Ginger’s in
Brooklyn, which remains closed
at the moment. With such limited
gathering space for queer women
and other people of marginalized
genders, Cubbyhole’s owner, Lisa
Menichino, told Eater that the
venue is especially important because
“lesbians need a place to
go.”
When the bar closed last March,
Menichino started a GoFundMe to
aid the business at a time when it
was ravaged by the coronavirus.
The establishment had no income,
and for months operations looked
bleak.
“With no clear indication of
when this will end, we worry for
our future,” the bar wrote in a post
requesting fi nancial relief. To date,
the business has surpassed its
initial fundraising goal of $30,000,
garnering more than $76,000 in
donations.
Even when the business was
closed, it was still proving to be a
magical place for the community.
Earlier this year, a queer couple
got engaged in front of the bar,
according to a photo posted on
Instagram.
Like many queer bars, Cubbyhole
adapted to the changing
times to retain business — from
hosting virtual events to selling
online T-shirts to serving spiked
Cubbyhole has resumed operations after closing in December due to the pandemic.
hot apple cider and hot chocolate.
However, when the wintry weather
returne and the temperatures
dropped below freezing in New
York City, the bar temporarily
shut down again.
This go-around, visitors can expect
to make reservations to sit
in the “cubby shack,” an outdoor
wooden dining set. The setup is
intended to allow folks to have a
socially distanced night out with
friends.
Longtime fans and newcomers
alike can also get a taste of the
pub’s fruity and alcoholic beverages
from their new frozen drink
machine.
Cubbyhole is only the latest LGBTQ
bar to welcome thirsty patrons
again following a hiatus during
the pandemic. Bars across the
city are on the rebound, including
spots like Boxers and Industry Bar
in Manhattan and Metropolitan in
Brooklyn, which have all opened
their doors.
Beginning on April 19, the curfew
for bars across New York State
was extended from 11 p.m. to midnight,
giving establishments —
and patrons — an extra hour every
night.
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