Sweetwater Is Bringing Lesbian Nightlife Back To The Heart Of West Hollywood

Sweetwater is about to become West Hollywood’s newest hub for lesbian nightlife and community.
Sweetwater, a lesbian-owned club and nightlife venue, is gearing up to open its doors, offering what owner Berni Gambino calls “an environment for connection, and a safe space for we as lesbian women to express.”
The location couldn’t be more central. Sweetwater is moving into the corner of Santa Monica and San Vicente, right across from West Hollywood Park and directly across the street from the sheriff’s station where Gambino herself once worked. Before she was a club owner, Gambino was a deputy in West Hollywood, serving the community until her retirement in 2015. Now, she’s back on familiar ground with a new mission.
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“After years of working in service to my community here in Los Angeles County, I reached a point in my life where I knew it was time to give back in a new and meaningful way,” she wrote in a recent Instagram post. She also gave a tour of the space, which is currently a collection of exposed materials and holes:
The venue takes over the former home of two side-by-side storefronts that are now being gutted and transformed into a nearly 2,400-square-foot queer space, complete with a dance floor, full bar, and outdoor patio. A second-story loft is also in the works, which will house Gambino’s office and a DJ booth. Her hope is to welcome guests by mid-July.
Gambino says she spent two years scouting locations before signing the lease earlier this year. WeHo Times notes she considered everything from Flaming Saddles to Mother Lode, but ultimately landed on this central spot in the center of the city’s most recognizable queer corridor.
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“Throughout my life, I’ve had many trials, tribulations, and tragedies, and it’s through those experiences that I want to provide a space for people to come and enjoy what Sweetwater has to offer—through our entertainment and drink selection,” Gambino wrote.
“Sweetwater will never turn anyone away who wants love and community,” she added. “I can’t wait to share what’s in store for us all.”
If all goes according to plan, Sweetwater will be open in time for the height of summer, adding a long-overdue new chapter to West Hollywood’s queer nightlife. For now, we’ll be watching the corner of Santa Monica and San Vicente with anticipation—and maybe a little gay impatience.
Follow Sweetwater on Instagram (@Sweetwater_WeHo) or visit its website to keep up with the progress.