In the center of Northside Cincinnati, next to a yoga studio and an art gallery and across the street from a coffee shop and a vintage clothing store, is Tillie’s Lounge, an LGBTQ+-owned bar.
Step inside, and you’re transported to a 1930s speakeasy. Sporadic lighting illuminates gold frames hung on the dark purple walls. Above, circus curtains provide a pop of color, and, although there is a collection of elephants on display, there are “no politics, no religion, no kids and no guns at the bar,” jokes owner Nigel Cotterill.
The elephants, rather than a sign of political affiliation, are a nod to their namesake and muse to their theme, Tillie the Elephant, who performed in a circus in the neighborhood in the 1930s.
The staff introduce themselves and take in visitors more like friends. If a customer walks in alone, the staff won’t let them stay that way.
“We get them to introduce themselves to other people so they actually get to know everyone,” says Cotterill. “It’s a bit like Friends I suppose … where everybody becomes friends and family.”
Another way Tillie’s takes care of friends and family is by hosting fundraisers for anyone who needs it—from drag bingo, to ice cream socials, to cookouts on the patio.
“We will find a way to make money for you,” Cotterill says. “And that does not only apply to [LGBTQ+] organizations; it’s across the board. From food kitchens, to haircuts for the homeless, to [Booze, Barks and Bingo] for dog parks. So, you know, it goes from the canines to anybody, really.”
‘We don’t put up with shenanigans’
Cotterill and his business partner, JC Diaz, opened Tillie’s in 2015, and, since then, they’ve worked to curate a safe, inclusive space for everyone– whether part of the LGBTQ+ community or not. And they aren’t afraid to ask someone to leave to keep it that way.
“We don’t put up with any shenanigans, let’s put it that way,” said Cotterill. “So if someone’s been disrespectful or getting too political, we tell them to tone it down or get out. It’s as simple as that.
“You can turn on the TV or the radio or listen to your phone and you can hear all that stuff 24/7 if you want. But when you come to the bar, we want you to escape and have a pleasant time and leave all those troubles behind.”
The power of allyship
The inclusive style of Tillie’s bar was part of Cotterill and Diaz’s vision from the beginning.
Cotterill said he learned of the power to create allyship in shared spaces from a previous business venture, a restaurant called Hamburger Mary’s. In 2001, during a controversial election time, a reporter from a French radio station was interviewing people in the restaurant.
“Oh, god you are perfect,” Cotterill recalled the reporter telling him.
“What do you mean?” Cotterill asked.
The reporter said that they were creating allies in the restaurant, it being a space where straight and gay people coexisted.
“Which means that when [customers] go to the voting booth in two weeks, they’re going to turn around and go, ‘Oh, we know Nigel, or the gays at Hamburger Mary’s, and they’re fine so we’ll vote in their favor,’” said Cotterill. “That sort of philosophy has stuck in my head all the time. It’s great that we have a fantastic following within the [LGBTQ+] community, but it’s also great that we have a bunch of other allies who are followers and supporters.” 🔥
Ignite Action
- Tillie’s Lounge is located at 4042 Hamilton Avenue in Cincinnati. Stop on in or learn more on their website.
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