Portland Lesbian Bar Doc Marie’s Will Reopen Following Its Troubled Start - Eater Portland
"Doc Marie’s, the hotly anticipated self-identified lesbian bar “for everyone” opened its doors to Portland’s queer community before closing the very next day. Following the grand opening, two managers quit and a group of anonymous employees formed a workers’ collective, the Oregonian reports. Employees alleged mismanagement from the bar’s owners, Olga Bichko and Nikki Ferry, both of whom did not have prior experience in the food industry or running a business. Among their concerns: a building leak which affected patrons, employees being underpaid or not compensated, “unprofessional and unsafe behavior,” as well as ownership’s failure to address the issues. Via Instagram, the collective demanded Bichko turn over ownership. In response, Doc Marie’s issued a (since deleted) statement, asserting they would take steps as part of an action plan to be a safe and inclusive space for the community. News of the conflict was picked up and further inflamed by the conservative website Libs of TikTok, which led to threats and online harassment towards the bar’s owners and former employees. Nearly a month-and-a-half later, Doc Marie’s is ready to reopen on August 13. “We survived it. We’re still here,” Bichko told the Oregonian’s Shane Dixon Kavanaugh. “We’re reopening, and just want to move in a positive direction.” The workers collective Instagram is now set as private; it’s unclear if the collective is still active." - Janey Wong
