Wicked Grounds

Happy Ending: Kink Cafe Wicked Grounds Will Reopen | Eater SF

"A one-of-a-kind kink cafe and community hub, Wicked Grounds appears to have weathered the recent financial crisis with help from community donations: over 900 customers pledged monthly on Patreon, raising more than $15,000, which owner Rebeccalyn “Mir” Bilodeau says is enough to reopen with usual hours next Tuesday. I learned that the shop—part coffee shop, part fetish boutique that stocks an arsenal of bondage gear, and a kink education and community hub—has been operating at 289 8th Street at Folsom, an area known for its leather history and the Folsom Street Fair; Mir took over from the founders in 2014, expanded the retail boutique, and increased the number of community education events. The cafe is currently open with a skeleton crew and limited hours and food options, and Bilodeau describes the staff as “kink concierges,” guiding newbies and veterans with kink education, community building, and book recommendations while paying for that service with coffee. After experiencing their single biggest day in revenue history when the closure was announced, she plans to continue emphasizing the boutique and expand Wicked Grounds’s presence at events and regional conferences, and she publicly thanked subscribers for their support, saying “we feel your love.”" - Caleb Pershan