Union Cafe (bar)
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| Union Cafe | |
|---|---|
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | May 5, 1996 |
| City | Columbus |
| State | Ohio |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 43215 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 39°58′42″N 83°00′12″W / 39.9784134°N 83.0033067°WCoordinates: 39°58′42″N 83°00′12″W / 39.9784134°N 83.0033067°W Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed. |
| Website | www |
Union Cafe is a gay bar and restaurant in the Short North neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. Founded by Rajesh Lahoti on May 5, 1996, it is one of the longest-running LGBTQ nightlife establishments in Columbus.[1][2]
Union originally operated at 630 North High Street before moving to its current location at 782 North High Street in 2006.[1] The bar has been noted for its role in Columbus's LGBTQ community, its street-facing windows, its patio and its drag entertainment.[1][2][3]
Description
Union Cafe operates as both a restaurant and nightlife venue. It serves American bar and restaurant food and has an outdoor patio facing High Street.[3][4]
Entertainment at the venue has included drag performances, karaoke and other themed events. Union also hosts a recurring Sunday drag brunch.[5][6]
Union Cafe is located across North High Street from its sister venue, Axis Nightclub, which was also founded by Lahoti.[7]
History
Founding and early years
Rajesh Lahoti opened Union Cafe on May 5, 1996, at 630 North High Street.[1] Lahoti had grown up in Columbus before living in several other cities and returning to the area. He told Columbus Underground that the walkable entertainment districts he encountered while living elsewhere influenced his vision for a business in the Short North, which at the time had considerably less nightlife activity than it would in later decades.[1]
From its opening, Union differed visually from many LGBTQ bars of the era by having unobscured windows facing the street. Lahoti said in 2016 that Union was the third LGBTQ venue in the United States that he knew of to have open windows into the surrounding neighborhood. He said the business received death threats after opening but was immediately popular with customers who wanted to "see and be seen".[1] In a 2021 interview with The Lantern, Lahoti again described the windows as an intentional element of the bar and said that openly identifying as an LGBTQ establishment carried risks at the time.[2]
The venue developed a clientele that included both LGBTQ patrons and non-LGBTQ customers. Lahoti said in 2016 that while its customer base had become more mixed over time, he considered LGBTQ identity and community to remain central to the business.[1]
Move to 782 North High Street
In 2006, after ten years at its original location, Union moved to 782 North High Street. Lahoti said the move allowed the business to own rather than rent its property and gave the venue space for a patio overlooking High Street.[1]
Lahoti also established Axis Nightclub across High Street from Union. By the 2020s, the two businesses were frequently described together as longstanding anchors of LGBTQ nightlife in the Short North.[5][7]
2022 ownership change
In 2022, Lahoti sold Union Cafe and Axis Nightclub to restaurateur Michael Purdum.[7][8]
In 2023, Purdum's ownership drew criticism after a former employee publicized political contributions Purdum had previously made to Republican candidates and organizations. The criticism led to calls by some patrons to boycott Union and Axis.[9][10]
Management responded that Purdum's political donations had been made before his acquisition of the venues and said the businesses remained committed to providing welcoming spaces for LGBTQ employees and patrons.[10]
2026 sale
Union Cafe and Axis Nightclub were sold again in August 2026 to a group of local investors with ties to the LGBTQ community.[5][7] WCMH-TV identified Michael Smithson, Ryan Doyle and Dominic Bruno as the three managing partners and reported that five additional investors participated in the acquisition.[7] The Columbus Dispatch also identified Columbus businessman Tom Grote as one of the new owners.[5]
Smithson said the new ownership planned aesthetic changes, adjustments to Union's menu and programming and an increased emphasis on community engagement. He also emphasized that the venues had continued to be LGBTQ spaces under their previous ownership because of their employees and patrons.[7]
LGBTQ community and drag culture
Union Cafe has been described by local media as a longstanding gathering place for Columbus's LGBTQ community.[2][5] Lahoti told The Lantern that he created the business in part because he wanted an environment in which LGBTQ people could gather without fear of judgment or exclusion.[2]
Union and Axis have also played a role in the development of Columbus's drag scene. An LGBTQ history exhibit created by the Columbus Metropolitan Library identifies the two venues as the birthplace of the West Family, a group of drag performers established by Virginia West and Nina West. The two performers formed the "House of West" in the tradition of queer ballroom culture.[11]
Drag performances remain part of Union's regular entertainment programming.[6][7]
Union and Axis are also associated with the Union Station Foundation, a charitable organization established in 2001 that raises money for LGBTQ individuals, groups and community initiatives.[12]
See also
- Axis Nightclub
- District West
- Slammers
- Summit Station (lesbian bar)
- LGBTQ culture
- Gay bar
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Evans, Walker (May 27, 2016). "Union Cafe Celebrates 20 Years in The Short North". Columbus Underground. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Howard, Justin (June 16, 2021). "Union Cafe continues to provide safe space for LGBT community". The Lantern. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Union Cafe". Short North Arts District. Short North Alliance. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ Meredith, Taylor (September 28, 2022). "Cheap Eats: Union Cafe's Got Lunch Covered". Columbus Underground. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Vitale, Bob (August 20, 2026). "LGBTQ+ bars Axis and Union sold to new owners". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Events". Union Cafe. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Millard, Katie (August 25, 2026). "Two of Columbus's most celebrated gay bars sold to LGBTQ+ owners". WCMH-TV. Retrieved September 12, 2026 – via AOL.
- ↑ Eaton, Dan (October 18, 2022). "Old Bag of Nails team taking over Union Cafe, Axis Nightclub". Columbus Business First. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ Vitale, Bob (September 7, 2023). "Short North LGBTQ club owner's GOP donations spark furor, resignations". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Hansford, Amelia (September 8, 2023). "Gay club owner faces backlash over nearly $10k in GOP donations". PinkNews. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ "Bars & Clubs". Illuminate: Central Ohio's LGBTQ+ History. Columbus Metropolitan Library. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
- ↑ "Union Station Foundation". Union Cafe. Retrieved September 12, 2026.
External links
Template:Restaurants and bars in Columbus, Ohio
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