D.C. Gay Bar Shakers to Close, Kiki Owner Taking Space
The popular LGBTQ sports-league hangout will close Nov. 23 as its owners step back, with Kiki’s Keaton Fedak taking over the space.
Shakers, a D.C. bar particularly popular with various LGBTQ recreational sports leagues, has announced on Instagram that it will be closing its doors on Sunday, Nov. 23.
In the Nov. 17 Instagram post, Daniel Honeycutt and Justin Parker — also proprietors of the since-closed The Dirty Goose bar — shared that after “many, many difficult discussions,” they have decided to leave the LGBTQ nightlife industry. The couple said they looked forward to taking extra time to spend with their 3-year-old son.
The post also noted that Keaton Fedak, the owner of Kiki and a former employee of The Dirty Goose, would be taking over the space at 2014 Ninth St. NW, which includes two indoor bars and a large enclosed patio.
“We are happy to announce that the Shakers building will be taken over by our friend, Keaton Fedak, the owner of Kiki (just around the corner), and, thankfully, he intends to keep the space dedicated to our LGBTQ+ community,” the statement reads.
“Keaton first started in the LGBTQ+ bar scene as a bartender at the Dirty Goose in 2016, and then went on to become TDG’s general manager in 2019, helping lead TDG through Covid. Keaton then went on to build Kiki and has turned it into one of D.C.’s most prominent LGBTQ+ bars. This truly is a full circle moment for all three of us, and we are excited to see what Keaton brings to the space.”
The Shakers post noted that Fedak would continue to keep the space that houses Shakers open for private events throughout the winter — specifically those that were booked through Shakers management. Those interested in booking the space can reach out to Fedak at info@dcwannahaveakiki.com.
“We will have more to say on a more personal level over the coming days, but we wanted to get this news out to our Shakers family as soon as possible,” Honeycutt and Parker wrote. “We love all of you and trust that 9th and U is in good (GAY+) hands.”
In a statement posted to Kiki’s social media accounts, Fedak noted that his move into the Shakers property marks a “full circle moment” for his career.
“My journey in D.C.’s service industry started long before becoming an owner — back when I first met Justin Parker and Daniel Honeycutt through DCGFFL, our city’s gay flag football league,” Fedak posted. “Not long after, they gave me my first opportunity at The Dirty Goose, helping launch my career in hospitality in this city. Their trust and belief in me laid the foundation for everything that came next — including opening Kiki, which shared a wall with the very bar where I got my start.
“Justin and Daniel have spent years building incredible spaces and uplifting LGBTQ+ nightlife spaces in D.C.,” Fedak’s statement continued. “Now, as they step into a new chapter focused on family and new beginnings, I’m honored to carry forward a piece of what they created.
“To now operate two LGBTQ+ bars at 9th & U feels like the most full circle moment thus far — rooted in friendship, community, and the place where it all began,” he said. “Here’s to growth, to chosen family, to the history we’ve built together, and to all that’s still ahead.”
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