Pulse, to providing direct funds via a very active non-profit foundation. I asked David Taylor, one of the founders of Tribe, and Todd Roman, one of the original partners in the PLAY Dance Bar venture, to discuss with me how they became so committed to using their business to support the community.
Giving Back–
‘TIS THE SEASON
TRIBE & PLAY HAVE BEEN FOUNDATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS JAMES GRADY
Almost anyone who has been in Nashville very long has probably, without thinking too much about it, been to at least a few fundraisers at Tribe or PLAY Dance Bar. We know how philanthropic our community groups are, and fundraising events often pack weekend schedules. But in a town where venues can cost thousands of dollars, cutting into the money that might
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go to providing services and aid to the community, LGBT groups have valuable allies in the owners of Tribe and PLAY, who regularly make their facilities available at extremely reduced cost or for free. But their support of the community goes so much deeper, from always being ready to donate a booth or other prize for silent auctions to hosting benefits, such as the one that raised funds for the victims of
NOVEMBER 2019
Was philanthropic outreach something you had in mind when you started your businesses, or did it emerge as you began to operate your bars? David Taylor: I’m an old Eagle Scout and believe you leave your campground better than you found it, so I’ve always been drawn to non-profits and other organizations that help the greater community. When Keith Blaydes and I started Tribe in 2002, we were both already involved in the community. I had just chaired Artrageous 13 and the HRC Dinner and was on the Artrageous Board and the HRC Board of Governors. It only seemed natural to continue these relationships at Tribe in ways that we could host fun events and organizations could make money. One of the first was Post Office for HRC, which raised thousands of dollars over the years, and people had fun! We were so lucky to join with Todd Roman and Joe Brown two years later when we started Play – they both were involved with the community and have the same philosophy of joining the business with the causes that are important to and impact the lives of our customers. In short, philanthropy has always been a part of who we are individually, and it was only natural to incorporate that into the business. Todd Roman: Philanthropy has been a cornerstone of our business philosophy from our original concept. Joey and I came from a culture in which giving back to the community was not a priority. We actually began the idea of developing our own club following a conversation with the owner of another club, who said “f%$# them, where else are they going to go” when we tried to help an organization raise money. “If you think you can do better, go do your own,” was his response. And at that point I thought, “You know, I can do better!” And a huge part of doing better would be to give back to the community and support those that support you. David Taylor and Keith Blaydes also came from previous civic activism, and
