![]() Logo | |
![]() Exterior of the Q in August 2021 | |
![]() | |
Address | 795 Eighth Avenue |
---|---|
Location | Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City |
Coordinates | 40°45′41″N73°59′14″W / 40.7613°N 73.9872°W |
Public transit |
|
Owner | Bob Fluet Alan Picus Frankie Sharp |
Type | |
Opened | June 25, 2021 |
Closed | March 27, 2023 |
Website | |
theqnyc |
The Q was a multilevel LGBT nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Backed by celebrity investors including Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto, the club was billed as "the largest queer-owned and -operated nightlife venue in Manhattan". [1] It was known for its five distinctly themed rooms and for its entertainment selection, which featured A-list comedians, prominent local drag queens, burlesque acts and jazz bands. The establishment was originally set to open in 2020, but its debut was pushed to June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2022, Frankie Sharp—one of the club's three founding owners—filed a lawsuit against the other two, Alan Picus and Bob Fluet. The club shuttered in March 2023 in the aftermath of the legal proceedings. During its operation, the Q garnered praise from critics, who have described it as innovative, inclusive and chic.
Located on Eighth Avenue near 48th Street in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, the Q was a four-story venue containing five distinct clubbing areas. [1] [2] [3] Frankie Sharp, who co-founded the club, stated to Thrillist and Queerty that it was "the largest queer-owned and -operated nightlife venue in Manhattan". [1] [3]
Live music and performances took place on the Q's ground level, [1] [3] which was outfitted with parquet floors, booths and mirrors. [4] The second floor, styled like a lounge, contained a bar and a "'Gentlethem's Club' [lower-alpha 1] nestled behind a tufted wall". [1] [3] The top level was an open clubbing space with 20-foot (6.1-meter) ceilings, a suspended catwalk, a high DJ platform and decorative LED screens bearing the venue's emblem. [1] [3] [5] In some areas, the walls were adorned with graffiti, queer movie posters and sexual artwork, including a Tom of Finland mural and a drawing of "a buff Ned Flanders from The Simpsons with protruding nipples". [4] [5]
The establishment hosted a number of weekly drag and music shows, which starred "prominent local entertainers like jazz musician Richard Cortez and drag queens Lagoona Bloo, Jasmine Rice Labeija, and Kizha Carr". [1] [6] It also featured A-list comedy events, burlesque and go-go dancing. [1] [5] [6]
The Q was originally co-owned by Sharp, an event producer and DJ; Bob Fluet, a co-founder of the Boxers NYC bar chain; and Alan Picus, a party promoter. [1] [2] [7] Sharp expressed intentions to open "a multi-floor LGBTQ nightclub ... that would redefine the genre" in early 2020, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic delayed these plans. [1] The Q's lease had been set to start on March 10 of that year, just days before nonessential businesses in New York were ordered to shutter. Several months later, the building's landlord proposed a "'COVID-friendly' deal" that enabled the venue's co-owners to proceed with construction. [7] Sharp, Fluet and Picus subsequently secured investments from celebrities including Billy Porter, Zachary Quinto, Charlie Carver and Jake Shears. [5] [8] [9]
In a March 2021 interview with Michael Musto, Sharp announced that the club would open as soon as it could feasibly do so under the circumstances of the pandemic. [3] Excitement over the Q's debut drew press attention throughout the spring, [2] [7] with Instinct 's Michael Cook calling it "one of the most anticipated nightlife openings in recent memory". [8] The club's inaugural party was held on June 25, [5] [10] which coincided with the end of Pride month. The venue sold out a number of high-profile events during its first week. [1] As of July 2021 [update] , the establishment required proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for entry. [10]
On May 16 [11] or June 10, 2022, [12] Sharp—who had divested from the Q—filed a lawsuit against Picus, Fluet and the Q's parent company (Bar Fluid, LLC, which is owned by Fluet) [11] for "breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, unjust enrichment and accounting". [9] [13] The court filings included claims that Sharp's employment contract was violated; that Picus instructed Q security to not check patron IDs and to allow drugs such as GHB inside the venue; [9] [13] [14] that Picus sometimes told door employees to deny entry to women; [9] and that Picus made racist and transphobic statements, [9] such as: "I don't need to break my back to hire people just because they're black and trans," and "Make sure [the club's] Latin nights are the good kind of Latins. Not Blatinos," referring to dark-skinned Latinx people. [9] [12] [15]
Other local nightlife venues complained that underage patrons who gained access to the Q attempted to purchase alcohol at their establishments using Q wristbands. NPR reported that the Q had acquired a reputation as a place to go for underage drinking. [9]
Sharp said that Picus also discriminated on the basis of weight when hiring staff, and other employees commented that women and Black people were rarely employed by the Q. One female employee stated that she received fewer and fewer shifts until she was taken off the schedule. [9] [11] The lawsuit also included allegations that Picus "[had] public sex with customers in front of employees, [took] advantage of young gay men, and [made] sexual comments to staff and patrons." [9] [11] Picus's attorney refuted these claims. [11]
A former Q patron stated to NPR that after a bouncer "caressed her stomach and grabbed her waist in an ... inappropriate way that left her feeling shaken," she was directed to report the incident to Picus, who "[did not] seem to take the accusation seriously and ultimately dismissed all responsibility". [9] He did not respond to a private message she sent him on Instagram to follow up. [9]
Sharp's court documents additionally read that four of the Q's senior managers quit or had been fired over the course of the year due to conflict with Picus. [9] [15] Of his own termination, he said that when he brought his concerns to Fluet—including by presenting security footage of Picus engaging in sexual activity with a patron in a public part of the club—he was given the option to either resign with "four percent of net profits for the remainder of the lease and a small cash disbursement in exchange for signing a non-disclosure agreement ('NDA')" or be fired. [9] [15] Because he refused to sign the NDA, "Fluet terminated his employment on May 23, 2022, as an at-will employee without cause." [15]
In July 2022, Instinct reached out to Sharp, Fluet and Picus for comment. Picus did not respond, Sharp replied that he had no comment, and Fluet said:
When we started looking for a venue, it was Alan and myself, and we were looking for somebody to join us, and we reached out to Frankie. The truth is, I was told to be careful and that there are demons unfortunately.... I think his demons took control and kind of put me in a situation where I had no choice.... There are a lot of false allegations that are being made, and I didn't know where from until I found out where from. I obviously did all of my leg work to make sure that nothing is real, which it wasn't. [12]
Fluet further stated to NPR that he had not been able to keep as close an eye on the Q as he wanted, because he was busy with Hush and Boxers HK, the two other Hell's Kitchen nightlife venues he owns. Sharp and other employees indicated that they nevertheless brought complaints about Picus directly to Fluet on multiple occasions. [9]
On July 5, Fluet announced via the Q's Instagram profile that Luis Fernando, the club's creative director, would replace Picus as its executive producer. [11] [15] [16] [17]
In November 2022, local and international media reported that a 33-year-old man, John Umberger, died under suspicious circumstances after leaving the Q with two unidentified men [18] on Memorial Day weekend. [19] [20] [21] When he was found in his employer's Upper East Side residence [18] on June 1, toxicology reports showed that he had fentanyl, p-fluoro fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, lidocaine and ethanol in his system. [14] He was presumed to have been drugged, and the police investigation found that "[h]is phone and credit cards were stolen and more than $25,000 was drained from his bank account." [19]
The New York City Police Department investigated a possible connection between this incident and more than a dozen others involving drugging and robbery of local gay men, including one in April 2022 in which 25-year-old Julio Ramirez was drugged, robbed and subsequently found dead after leaving the Ritz, another Hell's Kitchen gay club. [18] [19] [20] [21] EDGE Media Network reported that another parent came forward about their son being drugged and robbed after leaving the Q in early April 2022, though that man survived. [20] The press referred to the suspected group of perpetrators of these attacks as the "roofie robbers". [20] [21]
In January 2023, a 29-year-old man named Jordan Taylor went missing outside of the Q. [11] [22] As of March 2023 [update] , he had not been found. [11] On March 23, 2023, the New York County District Attorney issued arrest warrants for three men charged with first-degree murder of Umberger and Ramirez. [11] [14]
The Q closed abruptly on March 27, 2023. [11] An anonymous source from the venue told WERRRK.com that this was "most likely the result of management missteps, coupled with the inability to recover after the massively poor PR that came from accusations of racism and sexual harassment ... in July of 2022." [17] The same source said that the establishment had been losing money and that it had made poor choices when hiring performers and DJs, who were not drawing a crowd that spent money on drinks, which resulted in staffing cuts and delays in employees' pay. [11] [17] Club manager Xavier Pineda started a GoFundMe page to raise funds to support the Q's staff members, who were suddenly out of work. [14]
The basement loo actually had a shirtless DJ spinning tracks, and various semi-drag queens were doing runway in front of the mirror for extra camp surrealness. Even relieving yourself becomes performance art at the Q.
–Michael Musto, describing the Q's opening night [4]
Kyler Alvord of Thrillist called the Q "a game-changing queer venue that caters to every interest", remarking that it "brings four floors of old-school grit and glam to Manhattan's queer nightlife scene". He further commented: "While the Q revives some of the grit and allure synonymous with classic NYC gay clubs, it arrives with an added emphasis on respect and inclusion." [1]
A July 2021 Travel Gay review said the establishment was "set to become one of the biggest gay destinations in New York". [10] After attending the Q's opening weekend events, Musto dubbed it "[a] giddy Bloomingdale's of gay chic". [4] Insider 's Moises Mendez II wrote that "each floor [has] a different vibe from the last, and as you make your way up the stairs, each space became even more energetic and vibrant". [5]
W42ST.com listed the Q as a runner-up for its 2021 Best of Awards, [15] [23] together with a quotation characterizing it as "a fun new club that has a solid variety of high-quality events". [23]
Michael Musto is an American journalist who has long been a prevalent presence in entertainment-related publications, as well as on websites and television shows. Best known as a columnist for The Village Voice, where he wrote the La Dolce Musto column of gossip, nightlife, reviews, interviews, and political observations, in 2021, he started writing articles about nightlife, movies, theater, NYC, and LGBTQ politics for the revived Village Voice, which returned as a print publication, with accompanying website.
Heaven is a gay superclub in Charing Cross, London, England. It has played a central role and had a major influence in the development of London's LGBT scene for over 40 years and is home to long-running gay night G-A-Y. The club is known for Paul Oakenfold's acid house events in the 1980s, the underground nightclub festival Megatripolis, and for being the birthplace of ambient house.
New York City has been described as the gay capital of the world and the central node of the LGBTQ+ sociopolitical ecosystem, and is home to one of the world's largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ populations. Brian Silverman, the author of Frommer's New York City from $90 a Day, wrote the city has "one of the world's largest, loudest, and most powerful LGBT communities", and "Gay and lesbian culture is as much a part of New York's basic identity as yellow cabs, high-rise buildings, and Broadway theatre". LGBT travel guide Queer in the World states, "The fabulosity of Gay New York is unrivaled on Earth, and queer culture seeps into every corner of its five boroughs". LGBT advocate and entertainer Madonna stated metaphorically, "Anyways, not only is New York City the best place in the world because of the queer people here. Let me tell you something, if you can make it here, then you must be queer."
The Crisco Disco was a New York City discotheque notable in the history of modern dance, LGBT and nightclub cultures.
A lesbian bar is a drinking establishment that caters exclusively or predominantly to lesbian women. While often conflated, the lesbian bar has a history distinct from that of the gay bar.
The House of Aviance is one of the "legendary/iconic" and major vogue-ball houses in the United States, with its base in New York City. It was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1989 by voguer/dancer, record label owner (CEO/A&R), nightclub host, music artist and secretary Mother Juan Aviance—one of the nightlife personalities of New York City. Since its founding, the House has played an integral part in U.S. and world ball culture, especially U.S. nightlife.
Therapy was a two-story gay bar and nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It hosted frequent drag shows, some of which featured performers who later rose to prominence on RuPaul's Drag Race. The venue was a favorite Monday-night stop for Broadway actors, who sometimes participated in the club's shows. Like other New York City nightlife establishments, Therapy was ordered to close temporarily in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July of that year, the venue's owner announced that it was unlikely to reopen, citing financial troubles. Therapy's atmosphere, drink selection, food and entertainment have generally received positive remarks from critics.
Industry Bar, or simply Industry, is a gay bar and nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Owned by Bob Pontarelli, it is a sister establishment to Barracuda, a gay bar, and Elmo, a restaurant. Industry opened in 2010 and caters primarily to a crowd of young gay men and tourists. Its musical selection is mostly pop, and its live entertainment consists of a number of weekly drag shows, many of which are hosted by internationally recognized drag queens. New York City nightlife journalists frequently note Industry as one of the top gay venues in Manhattan.
Barracuda Lounge, or simply Barracuda, is a gay bar in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1995, the bar is known for its nightly drag shows. It is a sister establishment to Industry, a nightclub, and Elmo, a restaurant. Barracuda is home to "Star Search", the longest-running bar show in New York City, which began in the early 1990s and may have served as an inspiration for RuPaul's Drag Race. In the 1990s and 2000s, Barracuda was a popular celebrity hangout, and it was frequently the site of promotional events for new music and Broadway plays. While closed for much of 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the venue underwent a major renovation. It reopened in June 2021. Critics generally praise Barracuda for its intimate, relaxed and entertainment-focused atmosphere, which was unusual at the time of its creation, and some credit this with revolutionizing the concept of gay bars.
The Cock is a gay dive bar in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is noted for its exhibitionist atmosphere and popularity as a cruising destination. Opened in 1998, the venue has been described by them. magazine as "a rarified taste of old New York and the cruisy gay scene that existed [there] in the '80s and '90s". In the late 1990s and early 2000s, it experienced frequent police raids under Mayor Rudy Giuliani's anti-nightlife crackdowns. The Cock has relocated twice, and its 2015 move along Second Avenue was met with opposition by nearby residents and Manhattan Community Board 3. Two other attempted moves, in 2014 and 2021, were blocked by the community board. Critics characterize the bar as "filthy", "seductive", and "alluring", noting that it is an unusual find in the United States and bears resemblance to European red-light district establishments.
Club Cumming is a gay bar and nightclub in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It frequently hosts cabaret events, Broadway-style shows, dance parties and drag performances. Celebrities, especially Broadway actors, often make pop-up appearances there. The club opened in 2017 and is co-owned by actor Alan Cumming and promoter Daniel Nardicio, who founded it with the owners of the space's previous establishment. The bar was ordered to temporarily halt its shows in 2018, when it was discovered that its liquor license did not include a provision for live entertainment. The matter was resolved swiftly and with community support. The club was shuttered in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it continued to host cabaret and comedy shows via live stream for most of the year. The venue reintroduced on-site outdoor events in December 2020 and reopened at full indoor capacity in May 2021. Club Cumming has generally been well received by critics, who cite its eclectic entertainment repertoire, its inclusivity and the spontaneity of its atmosphere.
DJ Nita known as Nita Aviance is a dancer, percussionist, jazz singer, DJ, music producer, actor, and a member of The Carry Nation along with fellow DJ/producer Will Automagic. Nita is also half of two other production teams, BOOKWRMZ and Brooklyn Is Burning, as well as a member of the production team Pyramide.
Kim Aviance is a performance and visual drag artist, and nightclub hostess from the voguing and ballroom House of Aviance. She is a classically trained dancer and musician, and one of New York City's nightlife personalities. She is deemed a "New York nightlife queen", and has won numerous awards in the ball culture world. Aviance is a gender-non-conforming, and trans appearing.
Club Feathers is a gay nightclub in River Edge, New Jersey. Opened in 1978, it is the oldest in the state and the only one left in North Jersey. It is known for its live entertainment, its familial atmosphere, and its assistance to vulnerable LGBT youth and the local poor. The club was ordered to close in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though it was able to reopen for limited outdoor service several months later, its owner, Paul Binetti, announced in June of that year that the venue was experiencing severe financial hardship, and he launched a GoFundMe page in a bid to secure enough funds to remain in business. Feathers survived its pandemic setbacks and resumed normal indoor operation in May 2021. Critics have called it a rite of passage for young LGBT New Jerseyans to visit the establishment, which is noted for its high-quality entertainment selection.
Boxers NYC Washington Heights, also known simply as Boxers Washington Heights or Boxers WaHi, was a gay sports bar in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was the fifth establishment opened by the Boxers NYC nightlife brand. The bar featured weekly events such as Latin nights, karaoke parties, urban nights, open mic events, drag shows, and screenings of NFL games and RuPaul's Drag Race. Its September 2018 debut was met with concern that it would contribute to gentrification of the area, but its approval was straightforward. The venue proved to be popular and received praise for its comfortable, welcoming atmosphere. Boxers Washington Heights announced its closure on September 29, 2020, citing difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Local Lounge was a gay bar in Portland, Oregon, operating from 2010 to 2021.
Rise Bar, or simply Rise, is a gay bar in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 2015, it is a small establishment surrounded by a number of larger LGBT nightlife venues. The bar is most popular among gay men and some women. It features pop music and hosts weekly entertainment including drag shows, open-mic nights and karaoke. Though Rise's owners invested in soundproofing before it opened, noise concerns from nearby residents initially led the local community board and state liquor authority to require the venue to close at an earlier hour than its competitors. Following a contentious series of applications to modify Rise's operating schedule and liquor license, this requirement was overturned for weekend nights. The establishment has received praise for its welcoming, diverse atmosphere.
Prime Produce Guild Hall, also known as Prime Produce Apprentice Cooperative and Prime Produce, is a community co-working organization and event space based in New York City.
Escuelita was a Latin LGBT nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It has been described as one of the first "LGBTQ salsa and Latin dance clubs" in the United States. The bar was owned by Savyon Zabar.