Q Atlus | June 18, 2020

June 18, 2020 June 11, 2020

Blue Skies A Summer of Grand Reopening A Summer of Grand Reopening

LGBTQ Atlanta Gets Back LGBTQ Atlanta Gets Back to Business Responsibly to Business Responsibly Clubs Unveil Quarantine Clubs Unveil Quarantine Remodels & Renovations Remodels & Renovations 2Qute Owner Has Your 2Qute Owner Has Your Post-Lockdown Look on Lock Post-Lockdown Look on Lock

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Welcome BACK !

IT’S BEEN A WHIRLWIND SPRING since Q put out its final pre-quarantine print edition and hunkered down online with daily content on everything LGBTQ in the ATL. We, and Atlanta itself, come out the other side stronger and more determined, though not without permanent changes.

To better serve our post-COVID community, Q turns our attention first to coming back to life and getting down to business in a new era. We downsized to be more economical, and we added “Atlus” to our name.

That’s not a typo or misprint. Atlus is “ATL” and it’s “Us,” because we’re in this together. And atlas, because we’re still your guide to everything and everyone in the local village.

For the record and as always, that means a commitment to diversity in our contributors and coverage. It also specifically means anti-racism and unyielding support of social justice reforms for our black and brown brothers and sisters.

Start flipping pages to see our first business spotlights, a new Q events calendar and community map, the weekly features you love, and of course the advertisers who support you through thick and thin.

As Q and you advance into the new era, look for our return to print each week and online every day on Project Q Atlanta at theQatl.com.

We are glad to be back.

RICHARD CHERSKOV PUBLISHER & SALES RICHARD@THEQATL.COM 404-917-9678 JOHN NAIL ART DIRECTOR JOHN@THEQATL.COM 4 theQatl.com

MIKE FLEMING EDITOR MIKE@THEQATL.COM RIVENDELL MEDIA NATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES@RIVENDELLMEDIA.COM 212-242-6863

Q Events

FRIDAY, JUNE 19

SATURDAY, JUNE 20 The Buffy Hour With the subtitle “Once More, With Distancing,” queens, comics and other performers pay homage to the ‘90s cult classic in a virtual event to benefit the performers.

Cast members Tom Lenk and Jack Plotnick expected @ Twitch.tv/wussymag, 9 p.m.

Heretic Beats With renovations complete, your safety in mind and city regulations close to their hearts, the gay dance bar makes its first steps back to normalcy @ 2069 Cheshire Bridge, 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Visit hereticatlanta.com

Atlanta Pride Virtual 5K With coronavirus tanking so many in-person events, Front Runners’ annual event goes virtual. Go for a run or walk, register your time, and raise money for local HIV agencies in Atlanta. Register and cheer @ Raceroster.com, all day.

POP-UP BANNERS TEE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIES WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS POSTCARDS LETTERHEAD RAC CARDS CALENDARS POP-UP BANNERS TEE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIES WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS POSTCARD LETTERHEAD RACK CARDS LABELS FORMS POP-UP BANNERS TEE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIES WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS POSTCARDS LETTERHEAD RACK CARDS CALENDARS POP-UP BANNERS TEE SHIRTS BUSINES CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIES WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS POSTCARDS LETTERHEAD RACK CARDS LABELS FORMS POP-UP BANNERS TEE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIE WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS POSTCARDS LETTERHEAD RACK CARDS CALEN DARS POP-UP BANNERS TEE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLY ERS FORMS COPIES WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS POSTCARDS LETTERHEAD RACK CARDS LABELS FORMS POP-UP BANNERS TEE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIES WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILING POSTCARDS LETTERHEAD RACK CARDS CALENDARS POP-UP BANNERS TEE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIES WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS POSTCARDS LETTERHEAD RACK CARDS LABELS FORMS POP-UP BANNERS TE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIES WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS POSTCARDS LETTERHEAD RACK CARDS CALENDARS POP-UP BANNERS TEE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIES WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS POSTCARDS LETTERHEAD RACK CARDS LABELS FORMS POP-UP BANNERS TEE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BRO CHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIES WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS 1080 WLETTERHEAD Peachtree Street / 8:30-5:00 M-FPOP-UP BANNERS TEE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS POSTCARDS RACKNW CARDS CALENDARS 404.480.8222 / mycreativeapproach.com TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIES WALL ART ENVELOPES LABELS @mycreativeapproach NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS POSTCARDS LETTERHEAD RACK CARDS LABELS FORMS POP-UP BANNERS TE SHIRTS BUSINESS CARDS TUMBLERS POSTERS BROCHURES BOOKLETS FLYERS FORMS COPIES WALL AR ENVELOPES LABELS NEWSLETTERS MAILINGS POSTCARDS LETTERHEAD RACK CARDS CALENDARS POP 6 theQatl.com

we print CMYKLGBTQ+

ATLANTA'S ONLY LGBT CERTIFIED PRINTER.

404 Error An online drag show from the House of Alxndr features local and regional favorites including Ellasaurus Rex, Miss He, and of course, host and house mother Taylor Alxndr with Molly Rimswell (photo) @ Twitch.tv/tayloralxndr, 9 p.m.

TUESDAY & SATURDAY DJ Mister Richard The club veteran spins beats for Woofs employees each Tuesday, and for Eagle employees each Saturday @ Twitch.tv/VJ_MisterRichard, 7 p.m. Tuesdays and 8 p.m. Saturdays. Both venues are opening.

Find more special events and your weekend calendar at theQatl.com.

theQatl.com 7

Community means everything.

Let me help you protect the things we all value.

Stop by for your free State Farm Insurance and Financial Review®.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®

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Celebrating Pride Month with our community for more than 12 years!

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COVER

Awakenings

LGBTQ venues ease into era of reopening AMONG THE BUSINESSES KNOCKED for a loop by coronavirus restrictions, Atlanta’s LGBTQ businesses took one on the chin for the safety of their patrons. True to form, they are also among those bringing community events slowly back to life.

In closings that started earlier and lasted longer than most other types of businesses, nightlife venues had to rally for the livelihoods of their employees. You probably heard about the outpouring of patrons during online parties, but helping staff behind the scenes went down as well at places including Heretic.

“When we closed our doors on March 14, we decided it was a great opportunity for some of the staff to make some money and to tackle  theQatl.com 9

REOPENING continued some much needed projects I could never find the time for,” Alan Collins, general manager of Heretic, tells Q Atlus.

“It started as a simple deep-cleaning of the entire bar,” Collins says. “That turned into much needed organizing and getting rid of junk. Then we started painting, and the next thing you know someone made the mistake of handing me a pry bar and a sledgehammer — and well, Daddy went a little crazy!”

When Heretic hosted its first reopening dances under state guidelines — see Q Shots in this issue — patrons were treated to renovations including fresh paint and two-fewer walls inside, a whole new floor in the pub bar, a refinished dance floor, and new shelving and tile behind both bars.

But it’s the new paint job for the entire exterior of the club, with a freshened Heretic logo alongside an “ATL” sign on loan from Anheuser Busch, that is stopping traffic.

“It looks amazing,” Collins says. “People are constantly stopping by to take a selfie.”

Making the most of a bad situation, reno and redecorating were in the works at other gay bars around town as well.

Ten pulled a refresh by giving the patio a tiki bar vibe and changing its branding from “Ten Atlanta” to “X Midtown,” including a giant Greek numeral “X” logo on the building façade.

10 theQatl.com

My Sister’s Room did an extensive revamp of its outdoor spaces, and BJ Roosters renovated its patio.

Blake’s on the Park stayed closed a little longer than other gay bars to make major aesthetic changes “y’all are gonna love,” staff members promised on Facebook.

But by far the “newest” of the “new designs” belongs to Future. That’s because Atlanta’s downtown gay dance club was built from the studs up as part of the all-new Underground Atlanta. With an opening date pushed from April, Keith Young, co-owner of Future, has been tight-lipped about the interior look until now. He is excited to debut it in the coming weeks.

“The sprawling two-level layout features two separate spaces, one on each floor,” Young says. “Each floor has a new state of the art sound system and lots of cool visual tech. We wanted to keep it fun and unique without going overboard. There are also some really fun art projects throughout.”

With years in promotions and as patrons of gay dance parties themselves, Young and co-owner Hoosh Mishu had a targeted wish list from a few iconic experiences in Atlanta, he added.

“People miss entertainment mixed with dance that Backstreet offered. People miss the amazing dancefloor at Jungle. People love the hands-on approach to business that Heretic does such a good job with,” Young said. “We wanted to make sure we are addressing all of these things that Atlanta and visitors love.

Q

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TOO ‘QUTE’ to Quit

By Mike Fleming

WHEN SAM RONI MOVED TO ATLANTA from Indonesia in 2000, he had $300 to his name, didn’t speak English, and took a job as a dishwasher.

What a difference 20 years makes.

Now the owner of two hair salons on the Cheshire Bridge corridor — Sam’s Hair Salon and 2Qute Salon — reflects on his two-decade journey in Atlanta, getting by with help from good Samaritans, and persevering through challenges like the coronavirus shutdowns.

As a dishwasher at a Mableton restaurant, Sam lived with the owner’s family and cut their children’s hair for free with no prior training.

‘Wow, this place is so clean and so nice and ... so cute!’” Sam glows.

Business was booming, until coronavirus.

“We totally understood [the closure of businesses], but at the same time it hurt so bad. It had cost a lot of money to renovate the salon,” Sam says. “But hey, the safety of our clients and employees is more important, and it gave us more time to think how to keep people safe.”

Driven business owner Sam Roni has overcome way more than coronavirus lockdown

“They liked my haircuts,” Sam says. “I liked it, even if it was free. I was just happy that I could help others, and I will never forget that.”

After meeting his partner Tony, the couple scraped together funds to put Sam through cosmetology school. The school let them pay as they could because they appreciated Sam’s “don’t quit attitude,” he says. Another friend helped him pay for state board testing.

After six years cutting hair for other places, Sam’s Hair Salon opened at the corner of Cheshire Bridge and Faulkner Roads in 2009.

“All of my clients made it happen,” Sam says.

“Without support from my clients, I don’t think we could have survived for almost 11 years now.”

In 2019, Sam oversaw a top-to-bottom renovation of a second space, transforming it into a bright, sleek, modern salon. 2Qute opened in September.

“Every time people come, their first expression is

The salon went beyond CDC and state board requirements to implement safety protocols for staff and clients. He says they’re more than ready to welcome back men and women for full-service cut, color, Keratin and Brazilian smoothing treatments.

For Sam, staying the course during the pandemic is only the latest in a long line of challenges he has overcome.

“From all my stories, I want everyone to know that if I can do it, you can do it too,” he says.

“Maybe we fall sometimes, but we can stand up again. Learn from it and do better.”

“I am so proud to be part of the LGBTQ Atlanta,” he adds. “Let’s keep our community stronger by supporting each other, and no one can make us separate.”

2Qute is at 1927 Cheshire Bridge Road NE. Call 404-334-2936 or visit 2quitehairsalonatlanta.com. Sam’s Hair Salon is at 2000 Cheshire Bridge Road NE. Call 404-417-9887 or visit samshairsalonatlanta.com. theQatl.com 15

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Q Atlus Map

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11th St. NE

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10th St. NE

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Virginia Ave. NE

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12 7

Key

Ponce De Leon Ave. NE

 Bars

 Restaurants North Ave. NW

North Ave. NW

 Clubs  Retail/Services

Not Shown

1. Amsterdam Cafe 502 Amsterdam Ave. NE

8. Flex 76 4th St NW

2. Blakes on the Park 227 10th St. NE

9. Henry’s Midtown Tavern 132 10th St NE

Mary’s 1287 Glenwood Ave SE

10. Joe’s on Juniper Ralph McGill Blvd. NE 1049 Juniper St NE

Sister Louisa’s 466 Edgewood Ave SE

4. Friends on Ponce 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE 5. My Sister’s Room 66 12 St NE

11. Zocalo Mexican Kitchen & Cantina 187 10th St NE Highland Ave. NE

6. X Midtown 990 Piedmont Ave. NE

12. Barking Leather After Dark 306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE (inside Eagle)

7. Atlanta Eagle 306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

13. Urban Body Fitness 500 Amsterdam Ave NE

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Future (Opens July 3) 50 Lower Alabama St SW, Suite 180 Glen Iris Dr. NE

3. Bulldogs Bar 893 Peachtree St NE

4

The T 465 Boulevard SE Swinging Richards 1400 Northside Dr NW Lips Drag Show Palace 3011 Buford Highway NE Lost ’n Found Youth Thift Store 2585 Chantilly Dr NE

Ponce De Leon Pl. NE

St. Charles Ave.

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Charles Allen Dr. NE

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Cheshire Bridge Road 18. The Heretic 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road NE

24. Gravity Fitness 2201 Faulkner Rd NE

15. Tripp’s Bar 1931 Piedmont Circle NE

19. Las Margaritas 1842 Cheshire Bridge Road NE

25. Southern Nights 2205 Cheshire Bridge Road NE

16. Woof’s Sports Bar 494 Plasters Ave NE

20. Roxx Tavern 1824 Cheshire Bridge Road NE

26. Tokyo Valentino (Cheshire Bridge) 1739 Cheshire Bridge Road NE

17. BJ Rooster’s 2043 Cheshire Bridge Road NE

23. 2Qute Hair Salon 1927 Cheshire Bridge Road NE

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31. Barking Leather 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

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30. Oscar’s 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

32. Boy Next Door 1447 Piedmont Ave NE

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27. Felix’s on the Square 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

29. Midtown Moon 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

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33. Brushstrokes 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

 Bars  Restaurants  Clubs  Retail/Services

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RISE REOPENING AT HERETIC

Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com

Q SHOTS

PHOTOS BY LAURA BACCUS

theQatl.com 21

Q Advice Gaslighter,

DENIER

My straight boss is gaslighting me because I’m queer

Q

What’s the best approach for a queer, glitter-forward professional to take when their boss routinely says “I have no idea what you are talking about”?

You can’t officially call it discrimination, but you absolutely can and should include your gut instincts as you make that determination. Most LGBTQ people have experienced enough bias in their lives to recognize it at some level.

Another thing to take into account is how your boss treats others. Does he play favorites based on gender, ethnicity or other demographic factors? He wouldn’t be the first cis straight white man to call others crazy when intimidated by intelligence or are simply outclassed in the room.

Most recently, I posed a question in a meeting based on an e-mail we had both received.

Him: “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Me: Gestures to printed-out e-mail and hands it to him.

Him: Shakes head, sets it aside, and says to the rest of the people in attendance, “Anyway…”

I don’t want to see queer discrimination where there is none, and I don’t want to mistake my boss’s shortcomings for a personal attack. But for as often as he has described me as incoherent, ignores my expertise that I was hired for, and refuses to understand my questions, I’m beginning to wonder if it’s because I’m queer.

While probably perceived as more gender nonconforming, I think most people also perceive me as smart, capable, sincere and hardworking. My boss is straight, older, rich and white. While bright and driven, he also sees life through the lens of those privileges.

Coming from a background with an alcoholic father who often misremembered or denied events, this treatment by my boss presses all my buttons. It could be just a series of shitty offhand comments, but it sets me off.

Dear Diminished: What you’re experiencing is real. Your boss’s behavior is dismissive af. The translation of his comment is, “You’re crazy,” and that is gaslighting. Whether it is based on your queer presentation or not, you indeed have a challenge on your hands.

22 theQatl.com

Let’s say you determine that he is an equal opportunity mean boss, or that any bias is latent, unconscious or unintended. Can you live with that as a permanent affliction? How much do you love this job?

On the other hand, compromising and making trades are OK, just know which ones are deal breakers for your wellbeing.

While you weigh the options, be sure to affirm your own experience and practice self-care. Your triggers aren’t people’s responsibility, but they are yours and you shouldn’t ignore them. A therapist or coach is always a good idea for everyone at any time — talking out issues with someone trained to help can improve life whether you keep the job or not.

Q Advice is for entertainment purposes and not professional counseling. Send your burning Qs to mike@theQatl.com.

ILLUSTRATION BY BRAD GIBSON