? Love Philly? So do we. Let’s be friends. Sign up for the Billy Penn newsletter today.
One year ago, the temperature around Marsha’s South Street, Philly’s first women’s sports bar, was one of opportunity and progress.
Founder Chivonn Anderson opened the space after she was out with friends and unable to get a bartender to change the channel to the Women’s World Cup.
“It blew my mind that I had to argue with the bartender in a sports bar to put the Women’s World Cup on,” Anderson told Billy Penn. “I’m just like, ‘This isn’t right.’ And that just planted the seed that we need to have a space where women — that have dedicated their lives to these sports — have a spot where they can truly be honored and highlighted with them being on these televisions and having all these amazing people that support them come and watch them do what they love and what they’ve dedicated their lives to.”
For one year, Marsha’s hoped to be that space. Last night, however, the bar announced on Instagram that this weekend would be its last.
“It is with heavy hearts that we have decided to close Marsha’s doors for good,” the bar wrote. “We have loved serving this community, and still believe that more than ever this city needs more women/queer/BIPOC-owned businesses. We sincerely hope that someone is able to step up and fill this void.”
The bar’s short run was not without its bumps.
In February, a dozen police officers raided Marsha’s following tips that the venue was operating without a license, staying open past legal hours and serving alcohol to minors.
“It’s traumatizing to be just sitting in a space and have 18-20 police officers just come in,” Anderson told 6abc at the time. “We were kind of prepared for this because unfortunately haters gonna hate.”
In April, Anderson posted an Instagram video addressing “false statements” from a former employee. Philadelphia Gay News reported on allegations against the bar, quoting former manager and bartender Olivia Rhodes, who accused leadership of “participating in or perpetuating transphobia, misogyny and retaliation.”
“Welp this place will be gone in less than a year,” one commenter posted to Anderson’s video.
News of Marsha’s closing comes just weeks after the Boston Globe‘s viral story about a lesbian bar in Greenfield. The piece began a national debate over the queer community’s high moral expectations for itself and businesses — detailing the severe backlash the venue received after ending its Saturday night mask mandate.
“We lost one of the only queer-run sports bars in the nation, and one of the only few owned by a Black woman,” a commenter posted on Reddit about Marsha’s closing. “The community held Marsha’s more than accountable to the point where it became unsustainable, and refused to accept any change or apology.”
“For all of our beloved regulars and supporters- we will miss you!” Marsha’s concluded in the Instagram post. “Please come by this weekend and say goodbye. We will be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for one last hurrah before we shut down.”
The post Marsha’s opened to put women’s sports first. A year later, it’s closing appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY.
