FAQs

Initially, we thought Queermunity would be a big real estate collaborative with a variety of uses and properties in ownership. But our mentors advised us to start small. They suggested beginning with just one leased building, and we agreed - one building for Queermunity.

Next, we wanted Queermunity to be owned by the community right from the start. However, the community advised us to take our time. So, we're taking our time and plan to try equity crowdfunding once we’re more established.

Currently, we're working on getting a building! Meanwhile, we're planning programs and memberships, and bringing together a fantastic community of Queermunity supporters. We'll keep listening, changing, and improving, all thanks to you.

Nope, we are not the first LGBTQ+ business or organization striving to create a space for LGBTQ+ folks in Minnesota, and we don’t aim to be!

Instead, we are building on the foundations laid by others who brought people together with limited resources. Currently, there are numerous local LGBTQ+ nonprofits and businesses, and we seek to partner with as many of them as possible. We can only get closer to collective liberation by supporting each other. The more, the merrier!

We also acknowledge the efforts of those who created communities that may no longer be around, like Gay House, A Woman’s Coffee House, District 202 or Cafe Southside. Though these places no longer exist in the physical world, many carry their memory in their hearts and bring their spirit with us into new spaces. Like community leaders before us, we believe that inclusive physical space is critical for meaningful community development.

Our goal isn't to be the only place for Queer people in Minnesota; we want to be another place for Queer people in Minnesota to enjoy and connect.

The co-owners are together! Not married. But, they live together in St. Paul and co-parent 3 human children, and 4 fur babies.

So, they’re a Queer family for sure, through and through.

Honestly, the sky's the limit. It's a bit cheesy, but we're always open to hosting your group’s events once the space is ready for the community. We've received a bunch of feedback and interest from the community, and here’s a taste of what folks say they want us to offer:

Programming for artists and makers, like open galleries, arts and crafts, and meet-ups for local groups.

Programming for our older community members such as bingo, mixers and discussion groups.

Programming for families like family dinners with other queer families, game nights, and more.

Programming for those who just need an excuse to get out or talk to someone, such as trivia, book clubs, movement classes, affinity groups, and so much more!

We want it to be relaxed — filled with plants, music not too loud, and different rooms to play and explore. We envision the space as a kaleidoscope, with low stimulation in some rooms and maximum dopamine in others.

Our goal is to create a place away from the loneliness of the outside world and into the warmth of connections.

It all starts with a conversation. We get excited and tell anyone who will listen about Queermunity. We’ve reached out and connected with community members and groups of all kinds. Oftentimes we find supporters who happen to work at other organizations and we begin to plan…how can we make a partnership?

Nothing is set in stone yet, but we have awesome plans to collaborate with groups like Telling Queer History, Everyday Funday, Queerspace, GLASS, and Rainbow Health just to name a few.

Contact us! Introduce yourself. Let's grab coffee or chat on zoom. Trust, we will try to work something out.

Thank you for even reading this far. Seriously, it means a lot to us. You’re super close to getting on our radar!

You can sign up for our email list to keep in touch. Or, ask us more questions here.

If you're able-bodied and have some free time, stop by to help us paint when the time comes.

If you are digitally savvy, help us spread the word through social media.

If you have the funds, in the future, consider donating to Queermunity to support our startup efforts.

No matter what, we will work to find a way for us to build relationships with each other, one person at a time.

Follow us on social media to stay connected: Facebook / Instagram

Queermunity operates with a less hierarchical structure. Which is to say, we listen and engage with folks regardless of their stake within the business. The criticisms and suggestions can come from off the street, a great idea is a great idea. The co-owners make the final decisions, but we, as part of the queer community, know good ideas can come from anyone.

We did surveys, talked to hundreds of people, and listened to what everyone wants to make sure Queermunity is what the community needs. While we can’t be everything for everyone, this small business depends on making the community happy, so that's what we care about the most.

Our special team of advisors, the steering committee, suggests ideas and provides valuable feedback on our plans. We have meetings and listen to what people want, so Queermunity can be a part of the community.

Queermunity is a queer-owned small business sustained by cafe sales, space rentals, membership fees, special event fees, programming fees, and sponsorships.

For us, keeping the lights on for the community is a must. So, we depend on various revenue streams to keep us afloat. One of those is membership, but we plan to offer affordable and optional membership especially for community members who need it the most.

Our pricing is designed to make the space accessible to community members while others contribute to our operational expenses, ensuring our ongoing sustainability.

No, Queermunity is not a co-op or a non-profit; we are a small business.

Currently, Hilary and Kayla are the owners of Queermunity, making it a small business. The co-owners take on all the risks associated with the business, such as small business loans. If Queermunity succeeds, the co-owners will be able to pay back those small business loans (fingers crossed).

Our hope is that someday Queermunity will be owned by more folks in the community – not just Hilary and Kayla. We want every person who works with Queermunity to own a piece. We want members of the community to be able to own a piece of Queermunity. These models already exist and are called equity crowdfunding, worker co-ops, and/or consumer co-ops.

We’re putting our heads together on how to successfully transition Queermunity from a traditional small business to a community ownership model. Until then, we will work to make this business a great investment for the community in the future.

We want to be a lasting part of the LGBTQ+ community in Minnesota. We aim to be a reliable and rewarding investment for those who support us and want to share in the success of our businesses.

Our current staff consists of two co-owners, two contract employees, and a compensated steering committee, making us a tiny but mighty team.

We are partnering with Sequeerity, cybersecurity professionals, and building security experts to create safety plans, de-escalation and Psychological First Aid training to Queermunity staff ahead of the grand opening.

We will have community-based security at Queermunity and the staff will be trained to de-escalate conflicts. It’s important that the space is safe for community members, and if a patron is unable to abide by the community agreements we will take action to secure everyone else’s safety.

We personally understand how plenty of third places can be overstimulating, so we will create spaces that are low stimulation and low noise that some neurodivergent folks need.

We will also offer a variety of programming depending on people’s special interests- some who may need or want high stimulation at times. We have a big neurodivergent family and want to offer judgment-free space for all ways of connecting and feeding unique nervous systems!

We are planning to make sure the building we select and renovate is ADA accessible by the grand opening. We also recognize that accessibility isn’t just about the building itself, but how everyone can interact and engage.

Our family members have visible and unseen disabilities. Both Kayla and one of our Queer kids are Deaf/Hard of Hearing which is also a concern for many of our elders. We are exploring ways to support everyone's needs from ASL interpretation to the purchase of a closed captioning machine for use at presentations. This is just one example of how we can work together to make sure the space and programming is accessible to all.

Additionally, we are no strangers to COVID. We are exploring programming options that require masking and includes specific accommodations for immunocompromised individuals and those who are COVID-conscious.

We want to hear from the community about how we can best accommodate everyone’s needs – let us know how we can make the space accessible.

We are already partnering with LGBTQ queer programs like Age Friendly MN, Let’s Do Lunch, Friends & CO, Trellis and Rainbow Health to ensure programming is matched with the needs of the community. We will also ensure that the building is ADA accessible and that programming is offered at times that fit most senior’s schedules.

We hope to reduce social isolation and the detrimental health effects of loneliness which affects our elders more than other age groups. With financial support from the MN Dept of Human Services, we completed a comprehensive survey of our LGBTQ+ folks ages 50+ and are building programming based on this feedback that will increase social connectedness opportunities.

Our menu will offer lots of non-alcoholic beverages at real non-alcoholic beverage prices (if you catch our drift).

Additionally, our activities won't be centered around alcohol. We're focused on creating a space with a variety of activities so that the bar isn't the main attraction – it's all about the people, conversations and connections. We’re also exploring programming that is sober exclusive.

We’re working hard with building codes, landlords and contractors to ensure we can offer gender neutral bathrooms alongside single gender bathrooms.