| The Mix | |
|---|---|
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 The bar's exterior in 2023 | |
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| Restaurant information | |
| Owner(s) |
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| Street address | 635 St. Helens Avenue |
| City | Tacoma |
| State | Washington |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 98402 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 47°15′28″N122°26′33″W / 47.25778°N 122.44250°W |
| Website | themixtacoma |
The Mix is a gay bar in Tacoma, Washington, in the United States.
The Mix is an LGBTQ-friendly bar in on St. Helens Avenue in Tacoma, Washington. [1] The bar hosts dancing, [2] drag shows [1] and karaoke regularly; SouthSound Talk says, "Every night from 9:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The Mix packs with men and women eager to take the bar's tiny stage. Enjoy a round of pool while you wait for your turn on the mic." [3]
Co-owners have included Matt Henderson, Brock Leach, and Travis Scheff. [4]
The bar hosts an annual block party in conjunction with Pride festivities. [5] [6] [7] In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Mix hosted a virtual drag show. [8]
Chelsea Hawkins of MyNorthwest.com has called The Mix an "important fixture". [9] In a 2013 "queer girl" guide of Tacoma, Autostraddle said of the bar:
Relaxed and friendly, you'll feel right at home here. There's karaoke, but when that's not happening they tend to play pretty decent music. Like Silverstone, The Mix is a queer grab bag: on any given night you can booze alongside drag queens, baby boomers, femmes, butches, leather daddies… you name it. The Mix may not be the most, um, glamorous place you've ever been drunk at, but the bartenders are nice and the crowd is kind of hilarious. [10]
According to SouthSound Talk, The Mix was named Western Washington's best gay and lesbian bar in 2014. [3] The Advocate said The Mix was "the go-to neighborhood bar" in 2015. [11]
A gay anthem is a popular song that has become widely popular among, or has become identified with, the gay community. Not all songs labelled as "gay anthems" were written intentionally to become gay anthems, but those that do are often marked by themes of perseverance, inner strength, acceptance, pride, and unity. Research in 2007 suggested that the song most commonly identified as a gay anthem is "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, and described the song as "a classic emblem of gay culture in the post-Stonewall and AIDS eras".
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LGBT culture in St. Louis is characterized by a long history of progressive activism as well as racial divisions and the city/county divide. St. Louis city is relatively liberal with multiple gayborhoods and several LGBT organizations. In 2019, Realtor.com dubbed St. Louis the 8th most LGBT-friendly city. Due to hostile legislation at the state level, however, it has become common for LGBT residents to relocate to Illinois for better protections and healthcare access.
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