As a 55-year-old lesbian, I often look back on my twenties and the “safe” spaces we created for ourselves—spaces that became our family. Coming out of the closet (as we called it back then) meant you’d better know how to survive and how to find your people. I came out at a time when it…
Nightowls
Spectacular Spectrama: The Men Behind the Lights and Sounds of St. Louis Nightlife
Spectrama Lighting and Production, the company run by thruple Christopher Taber, Rusty Warning, and Evan Rose, has elevated our local nightlife scene with world-class production skills that wow audiences and pack dancefloors. Their work was a factor in their home bar, Rehab St. Louis, being voted “Best Gay Bar” by Riverfront Times readers during the…
BLQK x ΦΛΚ : A Creative Collective Reimagining Black Queer Masculinity and Nightlife in St. Louis
In the heart of St. Louis, a new creative force is emerging one that redefines what it means to be a social fraternity. Founded in 2025, BLQK x ΦΛΚ (pronounced “BLQK Phi-Lambda-Kappa”) is not just a collective of friends or a social group. It is an intentional, curated space created by and for Black queer…
“Oh honey! The new Bubby & Sissy’s is fire!”
A revamped Bubby & Sissy’s opened to rave reviews last night. “Oh honey. The new Bubby and Sissy’s is fire,” said Ken Snyders, who has been patronizing the club’s various incarnations since it was the Metro in the 1980s. “The club vibe is so strong. The place is beautifully lit and painted.. gilded mirrors, amazing…
Roast Weekend: Property Researcher Michael McKinley’s Complete History on The Grey Fox Site
Michael McKinley, who will roast Grey Fox Pub tomorrow as Erica Foxx, works for the St. Louis Public Library and scours public records to learn about city properties. The following is his report on the Grey Fox site from 1893 to 2020. 3501-3503 South Spring Avenue SPRING AVENUE (N-S). Took its name from a…
GREY FOX IS GETTING HOT! Reigning Miss Trans USA Beyonce St. James ADDED. Eve Versace OUT amid controversy. Tumara Tribute to Early Years. Max Transforms Stage With Stunning Inferno Set Design.
It seems the idea of a panel of entertainers riffing on our city’s oldest and most raggedy LGBTQ+ bar, while also exchanging scorching zingers about one another, is proving irresistible for many. Every ripped vinyl seat in the legendary cabaret is expected to be filled, because as of this morning, fewer than ten tickets remain…
Meet the Roasters: A Diamond Treated Rough
In 2023, it seemed the entire community was accusing Diamond De Luxe of stealing a great big wig. It turned out, she didn’t (apologies were made and accepted). And within just the past few weeks, she’s been called a con artist, a harasser, has been accused of being producer Chuck Pfoutz, and has even been…
STL’s Oldest LGBTQ Bar Celebrates 36 Years on Saturday
Tucked deep within the southeast corner of Tower Grove South is the gritty and glittery Grey Fox Pub (3503 S Spring Ave), which serves as the corner bar for the numerous queer folks residing in the surrounding blocks—a decidedly less-gentrified part of the neighborhood some refer to as “Grey Fox Hills.” Later in the evening, the…
Inside a St. Louis Lesbian Speakeasy
Upon entering the sliding doors at my home-away-from-home, you’ll first notice the smell. The vetting process, when you’re verbally given directions to this clandestine spot and finally understand where you’re going, probably already filled you with apprehension and anticipation, and those feelings return now as you realize you’re breathing in the acrid air of your…
Makeover Session: Just John rolls the dice with a $100k renovation
Even before the coronavirus pandemic rewrote the rules governing public gatherings, many believed online dating apps and the general mainstreaming of queer culture had made gay bars a lot less important than they once were. Jeromy Ruot, co-owner of Just John, disagrees. “As long as there are Republicans in charge of Missouri who are trying…
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