As You Are Bar, the new queer bar slated to open in Washington, D.C., now has a physical location to call home.
Rachel Pike and Jo McDaniel, co-owners and founders of As You Are Bar, have signed a lease on a corner space in the Barracks Row neighborhood, located in Southeastern D.C., the Washington Blade reports. They are currently going through the process of obtaining a liquor license and approval from the neighborhood advisory commission.
The couple, who first announced plans to open the bar in 2021, envision As You Are Bar to be an all-inclusive space, serving not only alcoholic beverages but also coffee-based drinks, baked goods, and food offerings. They also tell the Blade that they want the space to be more community than alcohol-centered, and plan to host different types of events, including book clubs, shared work spaces, and dance parties.
As You Are Bar will welcome “anyone of any walk of life that will support, love, and celebrate the mission of queer culture,” the couple says. “We want people of all ages, gender, and sexual identity, as well as drinkers and non-drinkers, to have space.”
The current location, close to a Metro stop, was chosen because of its accessibility, the couple tells the Blade, making it easier to reach for all patrons regardless of economic status.
Pike and McDaniel, who met while working at D.C.’s lesbian bar, A League of Her Own, first began As You Are Bar as an online event space during the pandemic. Following its success, the couple announced last spring that it would convert As You Are Bar into a brick-and-mortar space.
No word yet on a planned opening date, but stay tuned!
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