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After Cincinnati LGBTQ+ bar shutters, blindsided employees are left wondering what's next

Birdcage closing
New location for The Birdcage
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CINCINNATI — The Birdcage, an LGBTQ+ bar and staple in Cincinnati, has permanently closed its doors, citing its struggle to remain "financially viable."

The bar announced its closure in a social media post on Christmas Eve.

"It has been an incredible six years serving you, Cincinnati," The Birdcage wrote on Facebook."We’ve had our ups and downs but will forever be grateful to have played our part for the Greater Cincinnati LGBTQIA+ community."

The Birdcage closes
The Birdcage permanently closes its doors on Christmas Eve, according to a social media post from the bar and nightclub.

Later, the bar posted on social media explaining the reasons for the sudden closure.

"For the past year, The Birdcage has struggled to remain financially viable," the post on the Birdcage's Facebook page stated. "Bills and payroll were covered out of pocket — not through the bar’s profits — in the hope that community support would rebound. However, sales have plummeted by nearly 75%. In recent months, sales fluctuated, and we remained hopeful, it was not enough to cover basic operational costs."

According to the post, the bar's insurance expired on Saturday, Dec 21. The owners said they attempted to sell the bar and nightclub but could not come to an agreement with potential buyers leaving the business to close before its annual New Year's Eve party.

"It was a slow season. We knew it had been slow. We didn't think it was that slow," said Mirelle Jane Divine, a drag queen and former Birdcage show director. "The loss of what we had created is heartbreaking for those in the community and for us as entertainers."

Mirelle Jane Divine
Cincinnati drag queen Mirelle Jane Divine, a former Birdcage employee, said she has been performing at drag shows since 2008.

Sitting beside her best friend and fellow drag queen, Roxie D. Mocracy, Divine said the Facebook post not only caught patrons off guard but Birdcage employees too.

"(My reaction was) one, disappointment, two, surprise," Divine said. "I know that we'll land on our feet, and wherever we land, we'll create another safe space. So this setback is only temporary."

Mocracy said she found out during Christmas Eve dinner with her boyfriend's family.

"I saw a bunch of Facebook notifications, and I clicked on and I said, 'Well, I guess my schedule's open,' is what I thought," she said. "The support that we've gotten from both patrons, former staff and other entertainers and businesses is astounding."

The Birdcage stated a miscommunication was the cause behind the sudden announcement that the bar would be closing its doors.

"We deeply regret that many of you learned about the closure through a social media post on Christmas Eve," the Facebook post said. "That was not how we wanted this news to reach you, and for that, we are profoundly sorry. We recognize that a lack of clear, timely communication led to this painful situation."

The two drag queens underscored what the loss means for Cincinnati's queer community.

"It was a safe space, right? We, from the very beginning, set out to curate a space for those who didn't have space elsewhere," Divine said. "I feel like we really did catch lightning in a bottle with what we did at Birdcage."

"I would say the legacy is that we grew a sisterhood, both between ourselves with our various cast members," Mocracy said. "(Drag queens) feast and we famine. And sometimes you spend $500 on wigs and then go, 'Well, shoot. My January calendar is completely open.'"

Roxie D. Mocracy
Roxie D. Mocracy, a Cincinnati drag queen and former Birdcage employee, performs at drag shows across Ohio.

The Birdcage moved into its Central Avenue location downtown in June 2023. The bar and nightclub kept its Race Street location, rebranding it "The Flock" as more of a low-key lounge vibe. Both locations are listed as "permanently closed" on Google.

"The bar and restaurant industry is incredibly tough, with closures happening more frequently than ever," owners said in the social media post. "While announcing the Birdcage’s closure was necessary, we acknowledge that the timing and method of communication were mishandled."

The owners of the Birdcage also operate several other establishments throughout Cincinnati like The Butcher and Barrel, Ché, O’Malley’s in the Alley, The Blind Pig, Gypsy’s Mainstrasse, and Coffee at Lola’s.

"I want a safe place for the LGBTQ community to come and feel comfortable," owner Guy Ulam previously told WCPO.

The Birdcage opened its doors in 2018 at the Race Street location, which was formerly home to well-known gay bar Shooters.

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