Beloved LA lesbian bar The Ruby Fruit has made the heartbreaking decision to close indefinitely “due to the widespread devastation and financial impact from the wildfires.”
The Ruby Fruit opened in 2023 and became the first permanent lesbian bar to open in LA since 2017. Owners Emily Bielagus and Mara Herbkersman named the wine bar after Rubyfruit Jungle, a 1973 novel detailing the coming-of-age of lesbian author Rita Mae Brown.
The Silverlake bar, which became a neighborhood mecca for the “sapphically inclined,” announced the sad news on Instagram over the weekend.
“Sadly, along with all the feelings of grief and shock that we have experienced over the last few days, also came this undeniable reality: that running our small business is no longer sustainable,” co-owners Emily Bielagus and Mara Herbkersman wrote.
As the natural disaster raged on in Southern Los Angeles in recent days, The Ruby Fruit continued to provide for its community.
On Thursday, the bar began gathering donations from community members to donate to area shelters. Owners opened their doors to the community, providing power, WiFi, charging stations, and filtered water. On Friday, The Ruby Fruit gave out free bowls of soup to “anyone who’s been displaced by the fire.”
Now, The Ruby Fruit is asking the community for some assistance.
Following the bar’s closure announcement, Bielagus created a GoFundMe to support former Ruby Fruit employees, who have been left without a reliable paycheck or future wages. After the $15,000 goal has been met, the bar will give additional donations to Mutual Aid LA Network.
Since the bar’s announcement on Saturday, the community has raised over $6,000. You can donate and learn more here.
Officials say at least 24 people have died in the LA blaze and dozens more are missing. Fires could continue to spread this week, as dangerous winds return to the area.