I came for the Lesbian Queer Women, I Might Stay for the Game.
As Ann, Tracy and I open the doors to the not-yet-open Sports Bra, we look down at the tile at the entrance and immediately chuckle. Of course, there’s a sports bra grouted right into the entrance. Clever. And honestly, what better way to welcome people into a place called The Sports Bra?
As we look around, we start noticing that almost everything in this place has been built by Heather Hill and her wife Veronika Hodosiova, the partners behind The Sports Bra St. Louis, and Sara Pilsner, Heather’s former college softball teammate and a silent partner.
And right there, I get all up in my feels.
People sometimes see the finished product of a business and have no idea what it took to get there. The blood, sweat, tears, sleepless nights, financial risks, and probably a few moments of wondering what the hell you were thinking. Opening a business is no small accomplishment. It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do, and these two women have put their hearts into creating something of their own.
Now, let me be honest about something.
When I scheduled this meeting, I wasn’t exactly coming in as some die-hard butch sports enthusiast. In fact, I am probably the least qualified lesbian to be writing about a sports bar. I know, take away my lesbian card joke applies here.
I don’t watch sports. I don’t attend sporting events. And I have absolutely no idea what’s happening half the time when someone starts discussing statistics.
As a matter of fact, I used to get World Series tickets through a friend who is related to Joe Buck. And guess what? We would sometimes miss the games because of my crybaby self and emotional meltdowns.
That’s right. I had access to World Series tickets and occasionally chose a good cry instead.
Now THAT is a friendship. My friend would sit there holding an emotionally devastated lesbian through whatever personal tragedy I was experiencing, patiently asking, “Are we ready to go yet?”
And my answer?
“No. Not yet.”
Somewhere, Joe Buck was probably announcing baseball history while I was having a full-blown emotional experience in the car.
I do, however, appreciate women who love sports. They seem to love their teams the way I love Stevie Nicks and Taylor Swift. And upon entering The Sports Bra, I was hit with an unexpected thought: Maybe I should find a sport I actually enjoy watching instead of just watching football to see whether Taylor Swift shows up.
So, are you ready for it?
Are you ready for Rena to actually watch a game?
The Sports Bra has an energy that surprised me. It doesn’t feel like your typical bar. To me, it feels more like a cute, welcoming sports restaurant with a little bar atmosphere mixed in. The front windows open up, the space feels inviting, and I could absolutely see myself sitting there with a delicious iced tea, good food, and even better company.
And yes, I said iced tea. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
The St. Louis memorabilia on the walls gave me goosebumps. There’s something special about celebrating the history of our city, and even more special about seeing women who play sports included in that story.
But here’s another thing that won me over: they went out of their way to seek out St. Louis women brewers.
How cool is that?
I mean, how hard was that to track down? And how wonderful to intentionally showcase women who are creating something in an industry where women don’t always get the spotlight.
Maybe I’ll even enjoy a beer made by a woman’s hands. Look at me, growing as a person already!
Heather made me even more excited about the possibility of coming back to watch a game. The way she described the atmosphere, the excitement, and, most importantly, the CONNECTION that happens when people gather together to cheer for something made me want to line up at the door.
Maybe I’ve been missing something all along.
Maybe I can finally move past my childhood association with football, which mostly involved a television blaring, a bunch of drunk men screaming, and someone yelling, “Kid, get me a beer and some more dip!”
Apparently, I was born into a world where watching football meant being an unpaid waitress to a bunch of grown men who couldn’t seem to remove themselves from the couch.
Perhaps I was traumatized before I ever had a chance to understand the game.
But now? Something is different.
Now we have women creating a space where women can gather, eat, drink, cheer, laugh, and enjoy the company of other women. A place that quietly screams, “St. Louis women are pretty damn amazing.”
Why wouldn’t I want to support that?
Heather and Veronika were genuinely excited to show us their new space and talk about possible dates for our lesbian and queer community meetups. They want to see those seats filled with the butts of our lesbian queers!
And honestly, I think we can help them accomplish that.
They were two of the nicest people you could meet, and what I appreciated most was their enthusiasm for welcoming our community.
This is what community building community looks like.
It’s women supporting women. It’s local businesses opening their doors. It’s showing up, spending a few dollars, supporting the people behind the dream, and creating opportunities for people to meet one another.
I talk a lot about connection. About getting people out from behind their phones and into actual spaces where friendships can happen. About supporting the women and businesses who make St. Louis a better place to live.
And here is another opportunity to do exactly that.
I support my lesbian and queer community. I support women building businesses. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll discover that I actually enjoy watching sports.
Or maybe I’ll spend the entire game talking to the women at my table, drinking iced tea, admiring the memorabilia, and asking questions nobody should have to answer during the final seconds of a game.
Either way, I win.
So you might just find me at The Sports Bra cheering.
Will I know what’s happening in the game?
Absolutely not.
Will I show up for the women, the atmosphere, the food, the friendships, and the community?
You bet your sports bra I will.
We will see you women at The Sports Bra in Maplewood located at 7344 Manchester Rd, Maplewood, MO 63143
Opening day is Friday the 13th!
Get your butts down there and fill those seats up.
Rena Noonan
Butch in the Streets
Noonan is with the St. Louis Lesbian Queer Society and the St Louis Lesbian Queer Supper Club
Photos courtesy of Heather Hill and Rena Noonan.
