Bottoms Up restores dedicated queer space to Downtown Kingston

Bottoms Up, a new queer bar in Kingston, opened on January 3 in the renovated lower level of Renaissance and is the first queer-focused venue in the city since 2009.

Bottoms Up, a new queer bar in Downtown Kingston, opened to the public on January 3 in the renovated lower level of Renaissance. It is the first queer-focused bar to open in Kingston since 2009, ending a 17-year absence of dedicated queer nightlife. The venue offers both a quieter lounge and a DJ-led dancefloor, and it operates on Friday and Saturday evenings. Owners Paul Fortier and his partner Denis, who have run local businesses since 1994, say the space is intended for people across the community. Key details: - Bottoms Up opened January 3 in the renovated lower level of Renaissance and serves hot and cold appetizers until closing. - The bar is open Friday and Saturday evenings and includes a casual lounge plus a lively dancefloor with DJs. - Co-owner Paul Fortier said queer bars helped him find community and that Bottoms Up can offer similar opportunities for young people and for all members of the community. - This is the first queer-focused venue in Kingston since the 2009 closure of Shay Foo Foo's, creating a 17-year gap in dedicated spaces. - In the intervening years, queer Kingstonians met in queer-friendly venues such as the Toucan, Daft Pub and Tir Nan Og, and grassroots groups like Transfamily Kingston and Beyond the Binary held events and support networks. - Plans for a previously announced Club 338 in 2023 did not come to fruition at the planned location; Bottoms Up aims to fill the gap those efforts addressed. Summary: Bottoms Up restores a dedicated queer venue to Kingston's downtown and adds both quieter and more energetic evening options for the community. Undetermined at this time.