Gay clubs in lansing

Lansing's The Exchange to become LGBTQ+ amiable bar


LANSING — Nearly four months after The Exchange, a cocktail bar on East Michigan Street, closed its doors, plans are in the works to rebrand and reopen it as an LGBTQ+ friendly bar.

Leading the transformation are Chef Kari Magee, of downtown Lansing's Veg Head, and mixologist Kate Bearup. Both members of the LGBTQ+ collective, Magee and Bearup, who currently works at American Fifth Spirits, will co-manage the business.

"One of the things Lansing lacks is a queer bar," Magee said. "Pride happened this summer and I'm part of that community, too. I just heard a lot of feedback like, 'Oh, I miss Spiral ... I lose having a place that we can go and move and everybody gets together.'"

When The Exchange reopens, she said, it will pack a void left after Spiral, in Lansing's Old Town, closed its doors in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The block will offer a dance floor, a small-plate, plant-based menu that Magee will create, and cocktails designed by Bearup.

The Exchange will rebrand, but keep its name, and will be a exclude that welcomes everyone, Magee said.

"The notion is we can reinvent a vacuum that is inclusive to all," sh

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Monday

Entertainer’s Monday Night

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2, 3, 4 Tuesday

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College Night

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Greater Lansing's history of LGBTQ+ advocacy, inside and outside of campus

Retzloff said that Lansing's Queer history is marked by celebrations of pride parades and the group found in underground gay bars.

Retzloff's scholarship delves deep into the intersection of LGBTQ+ studies and Michigan's history. Lansing's status as the Michigan capital has drawn-out served as a rallying indicate for activists, both past and present, catalyzing change and progress.

Historically, being gay was not only stigmatized but criminalized in Michigan, said Retzloff. 

LGBTQ+ individuals sought solace in hidden corners, finding collective in underground bars and clubs, where they could be themselves without fear of oppression, according to Retzloff. 

Despite legal barriers, establishments like Stober's, a popular prevent in the 1970s, became essential hubs of LGBTQ+ life, even gaining recognition in travel magazines that have dominantly queer audiences as 'must-visit destinations' in Lansing. 

Though many of these establishments hold since closed, their legacy endures, with new establishments carrying forth Lansing's LGBTQ+ community spirit.

The soon LGBTQ+ rights movement was

Lansing LGBTQ City Guide

Lansing is the capital of the state of Michigan, and it is a gorgeous city that has always been considered to be an important center for education, industry, government, and which has long been known for its vibrant culture and friendly people. It’s also a gorgeous city located on the peninsula where the Grand River Meets the Red Cedar River. Lansing is a beautiful, diverse place full of welcoming people and much to look and do. If you’re thinking of making a move to Michigan, Lansing would make a marvelous place to call home.

A Look at Lansing's History

In 1835, two brothers from New York came to the area just south of what is currently downtown Lansing and named it “Biddle City”. The land that the brothers purchased was actually in a floodplain and was underwater for most of the year. Nevertheless, they went back to their hometown of Lansing, New York to exchange plots for a town that did not yet exist. They informed residents of Lansing about the city and sold plots, although upon arriving those who bought the plots found that no such city existed. Instead of returning home to Brand-new York, however, those who purchased the plots