The Birdcage, a gay bar in Cincinnati, Ohio, permanently closed its doors on Christmas Eve with no prior notice, leaving employees suddenly jobless and the local LGBTQ community stunned. The bar announced its closure in a Facebook post on December 24.
“It has been an incredible six years serving you, Cincinnati,” the post read. “We’ve had our ups and downs but will forever be grateful to have played our part for the Greater Cincinnati LGBTQIA+ community. We are permanently closed for business but want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kawanzaa, and Prosperous New Year.
The Birdcage first opened its doors at 927 Race St. in Cincinnati in 2018, taking over the space that formerly housed the gay bar Shooters. Each night, the bar would feature a drag show, followed by a dance party.
In June 2023, the bar relocated to 412 Central Ave., the former site of the Rebel Mettle Brewery, but kept its old location open, renaming the Race Street property “The Flock,” attempting to rebrand it as a low-key lounge environment for the LGBTQ community that could complement The Birdcage’s more festive nightclub feel.
Ignite Management, the owners of The Birdcage, operate several other Cincinnati non-LGBTQ nightlife venues, including The Butcher and Barrel, Ché, O’Malley’s in the Alley, The Blind Pig, Gypsy’s Mainstrasse, and Coffee at Lola’s.
Performers and event planners who worked at The Birdcage were blindsided by the closure.
“We all woke up on Christmas Eve and were scrolling on Facebook and suddenly, without contacting any of us, half of us had our pictures just thrown on a poster and an, ‘Alright goodbye, we’re closed,'” Honey, one of the performers and a former producer at The Birdcage, told Cincinnati FOX affiliate WXIX.
“It was like a shock to the system,” drag performer Fifi said, telling WXIX that, with the closure of The Birdcage and The Flock, there are now only two official gay bars left in Cincinnati’s Downtown neighborhood. “To see these places slowly disappearing is really, really hard not only for us as entertainers but for the community as a whole.”
The Birdcage – Photo: Google Maps screenshot
The announcement triggered tremendous backlash and uproar online.
“Fun way to find out, on the holiday!” commented an employee on the post. “To the actual employees and entertainers of Birdcage, it has been an absolute honor. To the owners (who I’ve never met [and] have never taken the time to come in to support your own business), shame on you for letting us know in this way. What a disappointment and a stressor for all of us to deal with. Sending love to everyone, and we will get through this.”
The bar followed up its original post with a more in-depth post, including an apology, explaining the reasons for the closure. The management staff apologized for the timing of the announcement.
“Before making the public announcement, we intended to first inform our staff about the closure, explain the reasons behind it, and offer them bartending and serving positions at Ignite’s other local bars and restaurants. We also wanted to thank the loyal performers who brought The Birdcage to life over the past six years and express our deepest gratitude. Our hope was for other community venues to embrace them and provide new stages for their remarkable talents to shine. Unfortunately, this didn’t unfold as planned.”
The venue claimed that bills and payroll costs were paid for out-of-pocket rather than from the bar’s profits, as sales had dropped by 75%. The bar’s insurance policy, which expired on December 21, was not renewed, with owners claiming that renewing the policy would have cost 25% of the premium, which was not financially feasible. Without insurance, the bar could not take on the liability of operating the business and was therefore forced to close, canceling its annual New Year’s Eve party in the process.
The bar’s management team had been in discussions with potential buyers about selling the property, but no agreement was reached in time.
The Birdcage also stated that a “miscommunication” was the cause of the Facebook post going live before employees could be notified.
The bar wrote that positions at Ignite’s other venues remain available “should you wish to accept them.” However, some former employees told WXIX they have not yet heard from anyone in management.
Bloom OTR, another Cincinnati gay bar, has since reached out to The Birdcage’s performers, inviting them to take part in Bloom’s drag show.
“I’m very grateful and admire Bloom for doing that for the community,” Honey said, while noting that many of those entertainers are still seeking a more reliable source of income.
“The problem is there currently isn’t a space that can comfortably seat the more alternative entertainers that are not covered by the mainstream,” Honey said. “Birdcage took us in, and now it’s gone. It’s devastating.”
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