The founders of Queermunity, Minneapolis’ newest LGBTQ social club and resource center, remember the first summer after the pandemic very well. Group chats lit up in a flurry of excitement as people ventured out again in search of much-needed social connections.
But bars and dance clubs are only a part of the answer, co-founder Hilary Otey said.
“We can talk, we can be together, we can get drunk. But how do you actually rebuild community with authentic interactions?” Otey said. “Nothing wrong with a lesbian bar ... but there has to be more and different opportunities.”
There are more than 300 LGBTQ community centers in the U.S., so why shouldn’t the Twin Cities have one, business and life partners Otey and Kayla Barth wondered. Their new space opened in Uptown last month.
While the Cities boast many opportunities for LGBTQ-centered services and nightlife, there hadn’t been a place for the other forms of social wellbeing, Otey said. They both dreamed of a space with room for activities including those that are family friendly, alcohol-free or that start before 10 p.m.
“We really wanted to focus on creating a space that met the needs of folks whose needs were not being met elsewhere, who didn’t have a space where they felt included and connected,” Otey said.
The space, at the previously vacant 3036 Hennepin Av. above Magers and Quinn Booksellers, offers a cafe, co-working space, and space for groups to rent.
Queermunity also hosts social events. In the three weeks since opening, it has hosted a craft circle, yoga, trivia, quiet reading and even a pop-up group wedding for couples looking to marry before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Coming soon: a spades night, sound baths, grief processing sessions and gender-affirming haircuts.