The LGBT community of Philadelphia is known to be a tight knit group, with a cluster of bars and restaurants servicing the LGBT community sprinkled through an area known as The Gayborhood (and beyond). Sadly late yesterday, the community was caught off guard with the news that nightlife staple Boxers PHL is suddenly closed. The note below was on the front door of Boxers PHL’s Walnut Street location, as well as on their Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8KMlIzBK1x/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Quick backstory; on January 23rd, Boxers PHL posted this message on their FB page: So, our neighbor property, which is owned by David Singer, and his firm of well paid lawyers, are on a mission to try to close or move our neighborhood bar, which is a Top 50 Nationwide bar brand. What is his agenda, why is he opposed to a bar that has had no neighbor complaints within the last 3-4 years? If the neighborhood association is not opposed, why is he? Thoughts? We cannot allow another safe place in the Gayborhood to close at the whim of haters (for whatever reason). Based on the above note, it looks like Singer (who also is allegedly, based on a Reddit thread, friends with a State Senator) is helping to block the transfer of the liquor license, with is impeding the bar from continuing to operate.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Uy968B8h4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
The community of Philadelphia is already speaking out and mourning the sudden closing of one of their favorite nightlife establishments. Everyone from Miss Gay Philadelphia America 2020 Lady Geisha Stratton to Philadelphia queen Fanci DisMount Stratton and Brooklyn Ford all spoke out in support of both the establishment and the staff as soon as the announcement was released on social media.
Several hours ago, Boxers PHL posted this message on their Facebook page. Not only does it give everyone who is outraged about this loss to the Philadelphia nightlife community a way to help Boxers PHL reopen, it also gives everyone a way to have their voice heard;
In the City of Brotherly Love, Hate won today temporarily. It might have won the battle, but it won’t win the war. Help us in our fight. Please message me at Ben.boxersphl@gmail.com for what you can do to help us during this temporary period.
I am so sad that Boxers closed. When ever we are in town, we would love stopping in for a good time. My biggest peve is that we all have our gay bars as our own place , and it gets overcome by all the straight women and parties. It is not like they have any chance with the men there. We are losing our bars one at a time. Let us have our own places to go. Philly is full of other places to go. I hope Boxers reconsiders…