COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – As the only LGBTQ-based venues remain closed, one club is credited with becoming a central hub for queer people looking for a safe space.
La Burla Bee opened their doors in 2021, with owner Bunny Bee heading an effort, she said, to create a safe and welcoming space.
“So, when I opened this, it was definitely going to be a safe space, because that’s what we have provided within the arts community and the burlesque community since the beginning of time,” Bee said.
La Burla Bee is, first and foremost, a burlesque club. Bee said she used her background in the art to bring it to Colorado Springs. She is on the Board of Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas.
After the shooting at Club Q that left five people dead, many people in the community who went to Club Q regularly suddenly had to find a new space to call their second home. For many, that space became La Burla Bee.
“That’s a huge sign of progress that we have venues that are willing to accept LGBTQ people as they are,” said Michael Anderson, the VP of Club Q operations.
Club Q has been looking to reopen in the form of a bar and lounge called The Q in the Satellite Hotel. So far, they do not have an opening date yet, but Anderson said they are hoping to be open by Spring.
For many, though, Icons was their safe space. The venue is a musical LGBTQ bar. The owners, Josh Franklin and John Wolfe, said providing that hub for people needing a safe space was incredibly important to them.
Late last year, they were forced to close their doors because of a fire. They said they were devastated, not only because of the damage to their business, but also because of the hole now left for the community.
“I think that was the most heartbreaking,” Franklin said in December, “like we knew we could take care of our staff and come together and get through the holidays, but on the larger perspective, it was harder for me to wrap my head around the fact that there are people during the holidays that only feel comfortable at Icons, and suddenly the place they found a home in isn’t an option.”
Franklin and Wolfe also credited La Burla Bee with providing that safe space in a time where they could not.
“I’d say there’s a lot more safe spaces than unsafe,” Franklin said.
Bunny Bee said she’s worked hard to help Icons with fundraisers to support their staff and their efforts to reopen. She said they fill an important role as an LGBTQ-focused venue.
“Whatever we can do, whatever I can do, I’m definitely an ally to the community, always helping in any way I can,” Bee said, adding that the community can use as many LGBTQ spaces as it can get.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Anderson, who said there is a difference between a space that welcomes you and a space that’s made for you.
“To be able to not only provide that space, but to do this in the same vein and purpose of Club Q is something that’s really fulfilling in so many ways,” Anderson said, “because this is a space that I know so many people need, I need it too. I still need a space like this.”
The Q will be providing updates on their social media as they continue making progress on construction.
Icons doesn’t have a projected open date yet, but a sign outside the bar promises a return.
In the meantime, you can support them and their staff through their Venmo, @Icons-co.
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