“I enjoyed going to The Cuff to just be around other community people and relax,” St Julien said. The super friendly staff just make it a comfortable place,” said Brian St Julien, who’s been a patron of The Cuff Complex for over 19 years. “It was a friendly neighborhood kind of bar where you know 90% of the people in there. An outdoor patio with tables under a large, lit canopy allows patrons to cool off outside and enjoy the chilly Seattle breeze. It features a large main floor decorated in black and white décor, fluorescent rainbow lights, disco balls, and an elevated stage for live music and karaoke. Without targeted help, many may not recover from this devastating crisis,” said Joey Burgess, owner of The Cuff Complex and Queer Bar, two of Capitol Hill’s most cherished gay bars. “Even in the best of times these businesses struggle and often disappear. That same month, orders from Washington State Governor Jay Inslee forced non-essential businesses on Capitol Hill to close their doors. By March, over 1,000 of Seattle’s King County residents had tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Washington State Department of Health. On January 19, 2020, the United States reported the country’s first novel coronavirus case in Snohomish County, Washington - just 10 miles northeast of Seattle’s Capitol Hill. Most have now been shuttered for many months.” “They constitute a major social hub and a significant economic driver. “Prior to the pandemic, Capitol Hill was famous for its nightlife, including bars catering to the LGBTQ community,” he told The Click.
Jamie Pedersen is the Washington state senator who oversees parts of Seattle, including Capitol Hill (where he also lives). | Credit: Aeryn SaintĪ walk down Capitol Hill these days reveals lonely park benches, unplugged “open” signs, and chairs stacked on top of bare restaurant tables. The neighborhood typically sees thousands of visitors each weekend, on top of its nearly 20,300 residents.Ī sign of Gay City downtown Capitol Hill. I don’t think it affected us until probably a month to three months in, when we realized that we probably will never go back to those places ever again.”Ĭapitol Hill is known for its rainbow crosswalks, gay and lesbian bars, pride parades, and historic LGBTQ businesses. “Most people in the LGBTQIA+ considered bars a better safe space than most of our own personal residences,” Bradshaw said.