Misfits Bar and Lounge
 The bar's logo | |
 Sign for the bar, 2025 | |
 | |
| Address | 2530 Northeast 82nd Avenue Portland, Oregon United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°32′26″N 122°34′43″W / 45.5406°N 122.5785°W |
| Owner |
|
| Opened | 2022 |
| Closed | May 2025 |
Misfits Bar and Lounge (stylized as Misfits Bar + Lounge) was an LGBTQ-friendly bar in Portland, Oregon, United States. It operated on 82nd Avenue in northeast Portland's Madison South neighborhood and hosted various events such as burlesque and drag performances, open mics for comics, and viewing parties for television shows. The owners of Misfits announced plans to close permanently in May 2025.
Description
[edit]The LGBTQ-friendly Misfits Bar and Lounge operated on 82nd Avenue at Russell Street in northeast Portland's Madison South neighborhood.[1] It hosted concerts, karaoke,[2] variety shows,[3] and various "inclusive" events such as burlesque shows featuring transgender performers,[4] cabaret and drag shows,[1][5] open mics for comics, and RuPaul's Drag Race viewing parties. "Drag Out the Hot Ones" was Misfits' signature event.[4] The bar's billiard table was free to use on Thursdays.[2][6] Portland Monthly said Misfits had the largest parking lot of the city's LGBTQ bars.[2] Misfits' logo had robin egg blue-colored text over the "progress" version of the rainbow flag.[5]
One of the co-owners' namesake cocktail was the Sophie Juice, a purple-colored drink with blueberry Smirnoff vodka, blue curaçao, and cranberry juice. The food menu included burgers (including a vegetarian option),[6] chicken tenders, and onion rings.[5] Thursdays had a happy hour menu.[6]
History and reception
[edit]Co-owners David Elderton and Sophie Garibbo operated Misfits in the space that previously housed the dive bar and music venue Eastside Bar & Grill. The duo began exploring options to open a restaurant in February 2020, just prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and became interested in Eastside after attending an event with the longstanding series "The Real Comedy Spot" featuring Tyrone and Courtenay Collins, the founders of the NW Black Comedy Festival. Elderton and Garibbo purchased Eastside in September 2022, then "opened quietly after a slow transition over the course of a few months", according to Eater Portland.[5]
Drag queens announced the business' name change on New Year's Eve (December 31). Elderton and Garibbo chose the name "Misfits" because it resonated with friends and acted as a "calling card". Misfits became a "queer hangout", joining Escape Bar & Grill and the gay strip club Fuzzy Navels as the few LGBTQ establishments in the area. Even before the name change, the business received an online "homophobic backlash".[5] The owners experienced homophobia, while the entertainers and event producers were subjected to cyberbullying for working at Misfits. According to Eater Portland, "A group organized a protest at Eastside following the ownership change, soon after the bar started hosting drag, and other Facebook users have targeted producers behind some of the bar's events, using slurs directed at LGBTQ+ people and Black people."[5]
Elderton managed business and entertainment operations and Garibbo oversaw bar and kitchen logistics.[5]
Thom Hilton included Misfits in Eater Portland's 2024 overview of the city's "liveliest" LGBTQ bars and nightclubs.[6]
Events
[edit]Elderton kept Eastside's "The Real Comedy Spot" series and worked to diversify the types of events hosted at Misfits.[5][7][8] As of April 2023, he and Garibbo were planning to host a Pride barbecue and party in July, either in the front parking lot or an adjacent open space. The event was expected to be among the only Pride-related events in East Portland.[5]
In August 2023, The Oregonian described plans for Shobi Dahl, the co-founder and former chief executive officer of Dave's Killer Bread, to perform as drag persona Mona Trombona at Misfits, Escape Bar & Grill, and Funhouse Lounge in September. Dahl planned to dress as Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz (1939), a "sexy" version of Mrs. Claus, Princess Peach from the animated film The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), and a "gender-bent" Prince from "Purple Rain".[9]
In conjunction with Pride, which in 2024 was celebrated locally in July, Misfits hosted Diana Fire's drag show Under the Covers, featuring performances to covers, mashups, parodies, and remixes of songs. The bar also hosted Dadfest!, a two-day drag king festival co-hosted by Ed Du'Bull, UmBruh, Tomboy, and WolfgangX.[10] The Portland chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence organized a variety show for February 2025 hosted by drag entertainer Coco Jem Holiday and featuring performances by Bolivia Carmichaels and other local artists.[11]
Closure
[edit]In April 2025, Misfits closed temporarily for repair work. In an announcement, the owners acknowledged business was "extremely low" recently. Days later, the owners said a drag performance being promoted might be the bar's last. Despite hosting a fundraiser to continue operating,[4] in May 2025 the bar announced plans to close permanently. Elderton wrote in the closure announcement:
The sad thing for me, especially in this political climate, is that Misfits was the place for 'queer' 'trans' and 'non-binary' folks. Love or hate the name, they resonated with it (as many of us do — such as a gay man on the neurodiverse spectrum like myself or those from other communities and backgrounds). But I just hate to see another dedicated space, such as ours, close.[4]
Elderton said the bar could possibly re-open with a new business partner. He said, "Time wise + financially, I cannot do this alone. If someone were to come forward, I'd welcome it. And if not, the space will remain closed as Misfits."[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "LGBTQ+ Bar Misfits on Northeast 82nd Avenue Announces Closure". Willamette Week. 2025-05-09. Archived from the original on 2025-05-09. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
- ^ a b c "Portland's Best LGBTQ+ Bars and Parties". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
- ^ Hilton, Thom (2017-04-21). "The Liveliest LGBTQ Bars and Clubs in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
- ^ a b c d e Pettigrew, Jashayla (May 9, 2025). "LGBTQ-friendly Portland bar closes after fundraising attempts". KOIN. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Jankowski, Andrew (2023-04-26). "Meet Misfits, the New 82nd Avenue Queer Bar Fighting for Its Spot in East Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-04-26. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
- ^ a b c d Hilton, Thom (2017-04-21). "The Liveliest LGBTQ Bars and Clubs in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
- ^ "Comedy Roundup: Your Week's Worth of Comedy Open Mic Picks". Willamette Week. 2025-01-29. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
Dirty Angel Entertainment's long-running weekly The Real Comedy Spot Open Mic stayed in the Madison South-area bar Misfits as it shifted from an anything goes dive at Northeast 82nd Avenue and Russell Street into an LGBTQ+ hub. Armaan Singh, Kris Cox and The Real Hyjinx make room for all, no matter how they identify, every Tuesday.
- ^ "Here's Your Guide to 2024′s Hottest Open Mics". Willamette Week. 2024-01-24. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
- ^ Eastman, Janet (2023-08-30). "Dave's Killer Bread CEO-turned-drag burlesque artist Shobi Dahl to sell Lake Oswego mansion". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2025-04-29. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
- ^ "Pride 2024 Events Guide". Willamette Week. 2024-07-03. Archived from the original on 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
- ^ "THE SIS-FITS VARIETY SHOW". Portland Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. 2025-01-12. Archived from the original on 2025-04-20. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Misfits Bar + Lounge at Wikimedia Commons
