Denver is losing one of its most prominent lesbian spaces.
Blush & Blu, the Colfax lesbian bar recognized as one of few remaining in the U.S., will have its last day (and last bash) on Saturday, Oct. 5.
“The world has shifted and so have we,” owner Jody Bouffard said in a statement on the bar’s Instagram account.
Bouffard opened Blush & Blu in 2012, taking over the space occupied by one of her previous ventures, tHERe Coffee Bar and Lounge.
A dive bar with classic Colfax-worthy drink prices and lovable lo-fi ambiance, Blush & Blu hosted drag events, dance parties, open mics and, of course, women’s soccer watch parties.
However, the bar’s reputation took a hit in recent years.
Three former employees sued the bar in 2021 over wage theft and racial discrimination. The lawsuit alleged that Bouffard “willfully weaponized the so-called ‘safe space’ and the ‘family’ at Blush & Blu” to create poor working conditions.
Those claims did not go to trial. The parties "reached a mutually agreeable resolution" after a day of mediation, and the case was dismissed in 2023.
Earlier, in 2021, Blush & Blu denied the claims in a statement to City Cast:
“Bouffard has never intentionally belittled anyone in the manner described or otherwise, nor withheld rightfully earned pay. This filing is an unfortunate retaliation against Bouffard and Blush & Blu for unrelated staffing decisions, and does not accurately represent the work environment at Blush & Blu.”
In 2023, allegations of discrimination and poor working conditions were reignited by a separate former employee.
Denverite has reached out to Blush & Blu for comment.
Meanwhile, Bouffard appears to have plans for a new business. As originally reported by OutFront Magazine, on Oct. 1 she registered a new trade name, "Cocks on Colfax," with a delivery address that's the same as Blush & Blu's, 1526 E. Colfax St. The description she provided to the state was simply "gay bar."
Real quick, what’s going on with lesbian bars?
As queer life and rights have slowly entered the mainstream, establishments traditionally recognized as lesbian bars have declined.
The Lesbian Bar Project, created in 2020, has cataloged 34 remaining lesbian bars in the states. Blush & Blu was the only Colorado bar on the list. They’re rare in the largest cities, too. New York only recorded four on the list.
Why? The reasons are wide-ranging, from the income gaps between men and women to shifting identities in the queer community to alcohol consumption in general tumbling.
Lesbian spaces in Denver won’t die with Blush & Blu
But Denver won’t enter a drought of lesbian spaces when Blush & Blu closes its doors this weekend. A number of gathering places for and by queer women still remain.
They also reflect the evolving definition of a “lesbian bar,” and the changes in the communities served by these spaces. The “lesbian bar” might now be a bookshop, a brewery or an event space.
After all, as The Lesbian Bar Project itself puts it: “What makes a bar uniquely Lesbian is its prioritization of creating space for people of marginalized genders including women (regardless if they are cis or trans), non-binary folks, and trans men.”
To name a few:
