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Stonewall Inn Gets $250K Donation To Avoid Pandemic Closure
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 30, 2020
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 30, 2020
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Like a lot of restaurants and bars, the historic Stonewall Inn has faced significant financial problems during the pandemic that threatened the long-term viability of the business. They launched a GoFundMe last week in an attempt to drum up enough money to weather the crisis and not have to shutter, with funds going directly to rent and insurance payments.
But thankfully, the worst won't happen anytime soon, because the Stonewall Inn has received a $250K donation that, along with the GoFundMe campaign, should keep them afloat for the time being.
The donation came from the Gill Foundation, which describes itself as "one of the nation's leading funders of efforts to secure full equality" for the LGBTQIA+ community. According to Washington Blade, they hope to make a permanent exhibition and visitors center near the Stonewall Inn to commemorate its important history.
Scott Miller and Tim Gill, co-chairs of the Gill Foundation, said in a statement: “Stonewall is a cornerstone of LGBTQ history and it must be protected. Queer people of color — including trans women of color like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Miss Major — led the uprisings against police brutality at Stonewall and in doing so helped spark the movement for LGBTQ equality. We must preserve that history and the legacy of the activists who led the charge.”
The donation was announced on Sunday, which marked the 51st anniversary of those Stonewall Uprising—you can read more about them here.
The NY Times wrote about the struggles that gay bars in particular were facing because of coronavirus. That extended to the Stonewall, even though it's been designated a city landmark, a state historical site and a national monument. “If Stonewall, the most iconic LGBTQ bar in the world, is facing an uncertain future, then think about everybody else,” co-owner Stacy Lentz, who also runs the bar's philanthropic arm, the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (their last major event was a livestream fundraiser in April), told the Times. “It is just horrific. Stonewall is one of our original safe spaces.”
Lisa Menicino, the owner of Cubbyhole in the West Village — one of three remaining lesbian bars in New York City — told Gothamist earlier this month that their future survival depended on customers. "If the Cubbyhole is to make it through the pandemic, and if other bars are to make it, we have to depend on the cooperation of our customers, and it’s gonna be a pain in the ass! I don’t want to contribute to bringing it back... Because the worst thing would be to open and then have to close again.”
In an interview with CNN, Lentz said that the bar's monthly rent alone is over $40K. They received some Paycheck Protection Program funds, but it was "significantly less" than what they had expected, necessitating the public fundraising campaigning.
Lentz and fellow co-owner Kurt Kelly thanked the Gill Foundation in a statement: “As the first and only LGBTQ National Monument, Stonewall is home not only to the history of our community, but also the history of our city and country,” they said. “We are beyond grateful for this generous pledge that will help us keep the history alive.”
In addition, the GoFundMe has raised over $298K as of 3 p.m. Tuesday. They have also raised over $40K for staffers with a separate GoFundMe while they were closed during the pandemic.
The bar, which started selling to-go cocktails in June, was supposed to reopen at 50% capacity next week with the start of phase three, but it now seems unlikely that indoor dining and drinking will return that soon.
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stonewall inn
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Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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