Bars & Parties

EFN Lounge closes abruptly

D.C. gay bar’s last night was Monday; employees shocked

Published

15 years ago

August 17, 2010

EFN Lounge abruptly closed Monday, a week after its general manager departed. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

A Washington gay bar that had rebooted with a new name and concept 18 months ago closed abruptly Monday night, just a week after the departure of its general manager.

EFN Lounge and Motley Bar, located at 1318 Ninth Street, N.W., near the Convention Center, was a two-concept bar housed under one roof. Former Manager Bill Gray, who’s gay, said sales weren’t strong enough to keep the business afloat.

“We had Bear Happy Hour every Friday and that was amazing for revenue, but we realized that being open every day, we just couldn’t pull in the revenue we needed to sustain the building,” Gray said. “We tried multiple events. Some things worked, some didn’t. … We had utilities turned off and turned back on. It was just a real struggle financially.”

Employees were informed of the decision Monday night. Gay bartender Matt Bamford, who’d worked there four months and is Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather 2010, said the news came as a shock.

According to Bamford, assistant general manager Raven Cullen, who’s gay and had been managing the bar with Derrick Zann in Gray’s absence, informed him at about 8:30 p.m. Monday that the bar was closing. Bamford said he and the rest of the staff — several of whom were off but came immediately to the bar upon hearing the news — are angry.

“Company standard there was always two weeks notice if we wanted to leave,” Bamford said. “What they did to not just the staff but to the community at large is just unconscionable.”

Gay owners Tom McGuire and Adrian Massiah, who also work together as founder/president and chief operating officer respectively of WorkSpaces LLC, sent an e-mail Monday at 8:40 p.m. informing the staff of the closing.

“With loosing (sic) Bill as general manager combined with the very low sales we have been experiencing over the last few months, we have arrived at the very difficult decision that the bar must be closed,” McGuire said in the e-mail. “My apologies for the abrupt decision and short notice, but we really have no choice. This is the last thing I wanted to do. I wish you all the best moving forward.”

McGuire and Massiah did not immediately return Blade calls seeking comment.

Gray admited EFN Lounge was a tough endeavor and that he’d “checked out and burned out” in January. He also said he was tired of paying business expenses out of his own pocket. Gray noted a dispute about who should pay to settle a small claims lawsuit with a concert promoter who’d sued EFN was the final straw.

“By that point, the slightest disagreement would have made me resign,” said Gray, 34. “It had consumed all my life and I was starting to realize it wasn’t for me.”

McGuire said in the e-mail, “… we had to let Bill Gray go because of issues and circumstances which came to our attention just the week before last.” Gray said he left on his own volition and that he owns the rights to the EFN name and concept.

Bamford said there were days that were slow, but “others were slamming.” He’d never met McGuire or Massiah until Aug. 9 when they came to the bar, introduced themselves and informed the staff of Gray’s departure.

Another gay EFN bartender, Aaron Alexander, said in an e-mail, “I don’t have much to say on the matter. I’m still trying to figure things out myself.”

Bamford is concerned about the bar’s events — some community service oriented such as a condom packet campaign that was held at the upstairs Motley area for the last eight months. Some events have moved to Green Lantern. Local gay event promoter Jacob Pring started his Code and Poz parties at EFN but moved them to Green Lantern several months ago.

“Let’s see, I’m trying to keep this positive,” Pring said. “It worked well for awhile but eventually got to be a bad scenario.”

Gray said the name came as a lark during an extensive remodeling project.

“There was so much stress involved, I found myself constantly saying, ‘This fucking bar, I hate it,’” he said. “So we used that as the name, though technically it stood for Edgy Funky Neighborhood Lounge.”

Bars & Parties

Halloween weekend is here

Local events abound for a spooky good time

Published

2 weeks ago

October 30, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

The annual High Heel Race is the kickoff to D.C.’s Halloween festivities. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Halloween weekend is here, and here’s a list of just some of the local events if you’re looking to have a spooky good time.

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Halloween Party” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant. This is an opportunity to mingle with LGBTQ folk and allies. Halloween costumes are encouraged or casual beach attire is fine. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Mixtape Sapphics will host “Bad Witch, Good Butch: A Sapphic Halloween Dream” on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. at Revolt DC. This is a halloween party for sapphics from the ages of 35 and above. There will be costumes, connection and dancing. Tickets are $13.26 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Taste Takeover will host “Abuela Halloween Party” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 8 p.m. at 639 Florida Ave., N.W. DJ Yani will play music and there will be a costume contest with prizes to be won. Tickets cost $17.85 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Metro Cabaret Club will host “Spookshow Spectacular: Dance Place After Dark Halloween Party” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. at Dance Place. This is D.C.’s Halloween nightlife and draglesque showcase, featuring live performances, creative marketplace, and costumed revelry. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit Eventbrite.

Punch Bowl Social will host “Halloween Bash” on Friday. Oct 31 at 9 p.m. at Punch Bowl Social Arlington. This will be a night of hauntingly good times with a killer DJ, vendors, and a costume contest. Tickets cost $12.09 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Thrust Lounge will host “Nightmare on 14th St.” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. DJ Tryfe will play music, and there’ll also be a costume contest with prizes. For more details, visit Thurst’s Instagram.

Nellie’s Sports Bar will host “Halloween Scariest Costume Contest” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 10 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring their scariest, creepiest, most haunting look for a Halloween night they won’t forget — fueled by Casamigos and Nellie’s signature spooky fun. For more details, visit Nellie’s website.

Kiki DC will host “Kiki’s Halloween Costume Contest” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 10 p.m. This event will be hosted by Pirouette and there’ll be prizes for the top three costumes. For more details, visit Kiki’s Instagram.

Sinners and Saints will host “Heaven’s On Fire (Queer Pop Dance Party)” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. There will be two floors and music by Sonali Dawar, DJ Noons and Aria McIntosh. There will also be drink specials all night.

Crush Dance Bar will host a Halloween costume contest on Friday, Oct. 31 at 11 p.m. Drag queens Empress Lena and Sasha Adams will host the event. For more details, visit Crush’s Instagram.

Arts & Entertainment

D.C. bars step up to offer discounts for fed’l employees

Deals, freebies, events, and happy hours galore

Published

2 months ago

October 1, 2025

Evan Caplan

Bunker is offering free entry for anyone with government, contractor, military IDs this weekend. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

(Editor’s note: This list was compiled on Wednesday afternoon and is not meant to be comprehensive. If you would like to add your bar’s specials, please email [email protected].)

As the federal government comes to a standstill, the DMV restaurant and bar community has come to the aid of furloughed workers, who suddenly have plenty of time on their hands. More than a handful of spots are offering deals, discounts, freebies, events, and more. Many do require an identification to validate employment status. Plus, this shutdown looks like it’s here to stay for some time, so take advantage.

Franklin Hall: This sports bar on Florida Avenue is kicking off the shutdown hard: offering $6 Mixed Drinks, Canned Beers, and “furloughed Shooters” – as well as a free food buffet 4PM-6PM.

Carmine’s, located downtown, is offering steep discounts – $5 meatball sliders, and $8 cocktails: “Here We Go Again” and “The Essential Worker.” Carmine’s specifically noted that the specials are open to all, not just affected workers.

Compass Coffee is offering a free pastry with a drink purchase.

Cork Wine Bar and Market on 14th Street is offering a long happy hour – from 3 p.m. to close with wine specials, plus discounted fries and snacks.

Union Pub is providing steeply cheap beer ($3), alongside discounted hot dogs.

Two locations of Hank’s Oyster Bar are serving up all-day happy hour at the bar, along with $2.50 oysters and a percent off checks for federal workers.

Boqueria DC is giving federal workers with ID happy hour pricing all day long: meaning cheaper sangria, wine, beer, and lots of tapas.

Osteria Morini in D.C. is offering a “Federal Employee Appreciation Special” with $15 pastas for federal employees; Cucina Morini has $10 “primi pastas.”

Duke’s Grocery is offering a complimentary drink: A free shot of bourbon or a glass of house wine when you buy any burger or entrée. Plus, there are $5 select beers.

Thompson Restaurants is offering all government employees 20% off their bill by showing a valid government ID. The offer spans 11 of Thompson’s restaurant brands and more than 65 locations across the DMV, including Matchbox, Makers Union, Wiseguy Pizza, Big Buns, and more.

Shaw’s Tavern: $5 beers, $6 wine, $7 Deep Eddy, $10 burger and pizza, with ID.

LGBTQ BARS

Crush: This bar is offering a “Pouring it forward” event with a free vodka hour, 10-11 p.m. this Friday.

Number Nine is offering $9 cocktails all night after 9 p.m.

Bunker has free entry for anyone with government, contractor, military IDs this weekend.

District Eagle offers 30% off drinks for anyone with government, contractor, or military IDs this weekend.

Kiki has free Deep Eddy happy hour 8-9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1.

Her Diner offers all-night drink specials with ID.

Bars & Parties

Blade’s 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party set for May 16

Rehoboth Beach event to feature politicos, journalists, special guests

Published

6 months ago

May 8, 2025

Staff reports

Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff (right) with Rep. Sarah McBride at the 2024 Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach. (Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

The Washington Blade’s 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 16 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.

The event, held at the Blue Moon (35 Rehoboth Ave.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient is Abigail Hatting, a rising senior at American University.

This year’s event will feature remarks from state Sen. Russ Huxtable, who recently introduced a state constitutional amendment to codify the right of same-sex couples to marry. CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak, in addition to surprise guests. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Blue Moon.

A suggested donation of $20 is partially tax deductible and includes drink tickets and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.