As You Are Bar Will Reopen on August 1
Barracks Row queer bar As You Are, which temporarily closed for roof repairs, will reopen with a series of events over a four-day weekend.
After a three-month closure, As You Are, a queer bar located in D.C.’s Barracks Row neighborhood, will reopen on Thursday, August 1.
The building has been closed since April 8, after heavy rains caused extensive damage, necessitating repairs. In an April Instagram post, As You Are co-owner Jo McDaniel said that engineers and contractors had been on site and that they were waiting on a timeline from landlord White Star Investments, reports the HillRag.
That closure came only a few months after the bar was forced to undertake a crowdfunding campaign, raising $156,000 to help settle debts it had incurred by renovating and soundproofing the space as required by an existing settlement agreement — which AYA had agreed to in order to assuage nearby residents’ concerns about noise, trash disposal, general upkeep, and security.
On top of the renovation and soundproofing costs, the bar was also struggling due to slow business during the winter months, increased operational costs, and an expensive lease.
While the bar was closed for roof repairs, McDaniel and co-owner Rach Pike were able to hold pop-up events at Union Market’s La Cosecha and collaborations with other venues, like Trade, that allowed AYA to maintain its customer base while making use of existing spaces for the queer community to gather.
Now that the construction has been resolved, As You Are plans to celebrate with a grand reopening, which will take the form of a series of events, held over the course of four days, from Aug. 1 to 4.
The bar will officially reopen at noon on August 1, with karaoke held on the upstairs level at 7 p.m.
Special events over the weekend include a “Mother Dance Party,” featuring music from Rihanna, Chappell Roan, Beyoncé, and other artists, on August 2 at 10 p.m., the “Fishnets and Feelings” emo night dance party on August 3 at 10 p.m., and karaoke on August 4 at 7 p.m.
“We are more than just a bar,” McDaniel told the HillRag. “[W]e are a community. We have been honored to build an inclusive, vibrant space with everyone who has walked through our doors, and we can’t wait to celebrate and create this new chapter with all of you — welcome home.”
Pike thanked all the community members and supporters who donated and supported the venue during the difficult time, as well as to other bars that collaborated with As You Are for the pop-up events.
“Now that our doors are open again, we can’t wait to see you!” Pike said.
Bri Battle, the founder of QueerTalkDC, a website dedicated to reporting on queer and LGBTQ events taking place throughout the district, posted a video to Instagram with McDaniel and Pike announcing the “reopening weekend” events.
“This is huge for event planners, and people who relied on this space to find community like myself,” Battle wrote on QueerTalkDC’s post. “Huge thank you to @asyouaredc for having me help break the news to you all, and I CANNOT wait to see you there. So much love will be in the air next weekend. As always, I hope you will be in community next weekend here at AYA.”
For more information on As You Are and its upcoming events, visit asyouaredc.com or follow the bar on Instagram under the handle @asyouaredc.
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