Five Points South is preparing to welcome a new business into a space that has sat vacant for more than a year.Owner of Icon Birmingham, Kyle Richardson, told WVTM 13 the bar is expected to open next month in the former Hush Lounge space. The location was closed after a mass shooting outside the lounge that killed four people and injured 17 others.Richardson, who opened Icon Tuscaloosa 16 years ago, said he hopes the Birmingham expansion will help bring new life to the area while creating a safe, welcoming space for the LGBTQ community. Richardson said the concept is rooted in providing a dedicated space for the community, but operating an LGBTQ bar comes with an added responsibility to make people feel protected and welcome.“I probably wouldn’t be where I am — who I am — today without gay bars,” he said. “Going to Quest in 2005 was probably one of the biggest kind of turning around moments in my life. That’s where I met so many friends and family that I call family now, and that’s where I’ve made connections. That’s where we all kind of came out in Birmingham.”Five Points South is still recovering from the violence that shook the neighborhood. Richardson said other businesses had considered moving into space, but they never opened. For nearby residents like Julie Dees, the new business represents another step forward for the area.She said she believes a bar serving the LGBTQ community is a good fit for the neighborhood, especially with other venues like Quest now closed.“Things took a little hit for a minute there, but I’m out here tonight,” Dees said. “Me and all of my friends are out here. We come to this area all the time. I think that once people realize we can stand together, we can get through these things together, that it didn’t hurt or affect this community as much as people might think that it did, because people are still coming out. The streets are lined with cars, so I think that it’ll I think it’ll be all right.”In addition to drinks, Richardson said customers can expect drag nights and Icon’s signature pizza at the Birmingham location. He said people can follow the bar on social media for updates ahead of the planned opening next month.
Five Points South is preparing to welcome a new business into a space that has sat vacant for more than a year.
Owner of Icon Birmingham, Kyle Richardson, told WVTM 13 the bar is expected to open next month in the former Hush Lounge space. The location was closed after a mass shooting outside the lounge that killed four people and injured 17 others.
Richardson, who opened Icon Tuscaloosa 16 years ago, said he hopes the Birmingham expansion will help bring new life to the area while creating a safe, welcoming space for the LGBTQ community. Richardson said the concept is rooted in providing a dedicated space for the community, but operating an LGBTQ bar comes with an added responsibility to make people feel protected and welcome.
“I probably wouldn’t be where I am — who I am — today without gay bars,” he said. “Going to Quest in 2005 was probably one of the biggest kind of turning around moments in my life. That’s where I met so many friends and family that I call family now, and that’s where I’ve made connections. That’s where we all kind of came out in Birmingham.”
Five Points South is still recovering from the violence that shook the neighborhood. Richardson said other businesses had considered moving into space, but they never opened. For nearby residents like Julie Dees, the new business represents another step forward for the area.
She said she believes a bar serving the LGBTQ community is a good fit for the neighborhood, especially with other venues like Quest now closed.
“Things took a little hit for a minute there, but I’m out here tonight,” Dees said. “Me and all of my friends are out here. We come to this area all the time. I think that once people realize we can stand together, we can get through these things together, that it didn’t hurt or affect this community as much as people might think that it did, because people are still coming out. The streets are lined with cars, so I think that it’ll I think it’ll be all right.”
In addition to drinks, Richardson said customers can expect drag nights and Icon’s signature pizza at the Birmingham location. He said people can follow the bar on social media for updates ahead of the planned opening next month.