D.C.’s Newest Gay Bar to Open in Spring
The Dirty Goose hopes to fill attract an upscale, after-work LGBT crowd
The idea for the District’s newest gay bar started as an assignment for Daniel Honeycutt’s entrepreneurship class as he was getting his MBA. Four years later, Honeycutt and his fiance, Justin Parker, are launching a revised version of that plan, hoping to reach what they feel is an untapped market in gay nightlife.
Slated to open in the spring of 2016, The Dirty Goose will be situated steps away from Nellie’s and Town Danceboutique. But Honeycutt and Parker insist their bar won’t compete with the existing gay offerings in the U Street Corridor — instead, it will complement them.
“You have a gay sports bar, you have a gay dance club,” says Parker, who previously worked in the service industry in Ocean City, Md. “We fit the niche of an upscale gay bar. Somewhere you could walk in if you’re still in a suit and tie after work. A place where you wouldn’t feel like you had to change.” Hence, The Dirty Goose — named for Parker’s favorite martini — will cater to a more business-centric clientele, particularly during weekdays, with “unique takes on classic cocktails.” The bar’s second floor will be a multipurpose space, which can be rented out for private events during the week, and will feature a more traditional nightlife scene, with guest DJs on the weekends. The bar will also feature a rooftop terrace.
The Dirty Goose has already launched a marketing campaign, with a Facebook page, Twitter account and website — thedirtygoosedc.com — where people can sign up for email updates. According to Honeycutt and Parker, the space has a liquor license and will require few renovations.
“Both of our parents are thrilled about it,” Honeycutt says. “And our friends, obviously, are part of the market as well. They’re thrilled about having a new option and think it’s going to be a great thing for the city as well as the LGBT community. I don’t think we’ve had a single negative response to it.”
“It was always constructive ideas, like what to add to it,” adds Parker. “It was never like, ‘You’re fighting a dying industry,’ or anything like that. It was always ‘Oh my god, that’s a great idea. Here’s what I can add to it.’ Which is a good thing, because it means they’re excited about it.”
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