The bar is a 4800 square foot bar with a lounge atmosphere, 2 daily happy hour specials, weekly karaoke, pool tables, darts, patios, special events and more! The Phoenix also hopes to open the existing kitchen and add grill to their many amenities. In this case, the ashes being the long time running Escape Bar & Lounge. Their primary focus is on the art's, performances, and community and their Facebook page states their mission is "to show pride in our community through acceptance and inclusion, communal effort, art, self expression and participation." When asked about the name, Gabriel referenced the Phoenix from Greek mythology that obtains new life by rising from the ashes of it's predecessor.
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They bill themselves as a gay / alternative bar & lounge and say they are open to everyone. Gabriel Cressy, who has been described as a "driven nightlife entrepreneur" said that they "think very differently and are open minded", that they are not only a gay bar but are open to all walks of life. According to Gabriel Cressy, the new trio owners (whom he revealed are in a polyamorous relationship), purchased the bar from Jeff Kesar who currently still owns Goodtimes Bar & Grill. The new gay owners Shaun Hunt (32), Landon Heins (32), and Gabriel Cressy (34) are excited to announce that the new bar named The Phoenix Bar & Lounge is 100% locally gay owned and operated. Reservations can be made at or by calling (702) 826-2422 for more information.After 8 years of business the straight owned, gay bar, previously known as the Escape Lounge has sold. At the time of this publication, reservations are highly recommended as the Nevada State Mandates operating at 25% capacity and a four-person limit per table. The Phoenix is located at 4213 W Sahara Ave. We are hopeful that we will continue to move towards “opening back up.” The economy has suffered, businesses have suffered, and people have too. We provide a place for our community to gather, we embrace our allies, and we try to build people up where we can. The Phoenix is very much come-as-you-are. I think they also offer people a place to be accepted for who they are, have fun, and enjoy life. Our bars provide a physical space to come together. What is it about LGBTQ+ bars that meets these needs for connection? There has been a lot of talk about the “hidden pandemic,” and isolation is a big part of that for our community. When you consider that isolation is linked to all kinds of negative mental health outcomes like depression, anxiety (or worse, suicide), it really becomes even more clear that gay bars and other spaces like this need to be open. One of our customers said, “gay bars are like our church we need these places.” I don’t know that we expected that. It’s been interesting to see a pretty clear difference among various generations on “going out.” We have seen our younger clientele largely adhering to recommendations to stay home. Heins: It’s been a challenge to navigate the various mandates, protocols, and rules necessary to operate in the current environment. Q: How has your clientele changed over the last year? More physical space between our patrons meant we needed additional staff to ensure that our service standards were maintained. But we also completely revamped our operations to make it work for our customers and staff. Heins: We embraced all of the safety requirements and capacity limitations. Q: Can you tell us more about how you have adapted in light of the pandemic? It has allowed us to stay connected to the community and maintain a viable way to survive and keep our people employed.
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The kitchen operations have really saved us during the pandemic. Heins: Follow your gut, open a kitchen and be patient. What advice would you give your former self about running this business before you started? Q: You recently celebrated your 7th Anniversary. We caught up with owner Landon Heins for a fireside chat. The SOBS starts with The Phoenix Bar & Lounge, the location for our cover shoot, and the home of the one and only Ms.
#Las vegas phoenix gay bar series
This series will explore some of the few LGBTQ+ spaces that remain and fight like hell to keep every last queer space we have. As the COVID-19 global pandemic has left us isolated, thick in the thighs, and more anxious than ever, we are issuing a call to action: Save Our Bars. The cultural, historical, and community impact of LGBTQ+ bars (gay bars) cannot be overstated. Finding and fostering community was scarce, difficult, and often downright dangerous, which might partially explain why gay bars have served as an unyielding bedrock in recent LGBTQ+ history. It wasn’t so very long ago that the LGBTQ+ community existed largely in the shadows.