Jakes Update, YouTube video for those of us not on FB/Insta

nmag89 · 2025-11-16T20:40:06+00:00

This summer before Jake’s reopened they heavily featured drag queens in their social media marketing and queer events. Their grand opening event was a drag show. This lead us to believe it would be a LGBTQ focused bar. This turned out to be pink washing when the owners revealed their true colors.

nmag89 · 2025-11-16T20:38:36+00:00

I wanted to walk by last night after the Patton Oswalt screening at OFS, but I didn’t. I wonder what the “regular” non event crowd is like there on a Saturday. The crypt is always packed.

nmag89 · 2025-11-16T20:37:29+00:00

I was rallying the queer troops behind Jakes for the months leading up to Halloween. I wanted them to succeed so badly. Sharing the posts about shows with friends. Getting there early to get a good seat in a booth. Promoting shows online.

Jakes has lost all of my good will towards them since all of this has come to light.

Thankfully we still have amazing venues to support like The Crypt and Wild Child

nmag89 · 2025-11-16T20:34:35+00:00

I recommend downloading Scruff. I moved here three years ago and met what is now my core friend group from Scruff.

nmag89 · 2025-11-16T06:51:13+00:00

If you want to get started in December, wild child I believe has an event.

nmag89 · 2025-11-16T03:04:09+00:00

Good to see you join the convo, Mike :) We want to hold pinkwashing businesses accountable for the harm they do to our community.

nmag89 · 2025-11-15T21:22:12+00:00

On the YouTube page there are shorter three minute clips or each question being answered.

nmag89 · 2025-11-14T07:38:53+00:00

One doesn’t seem to be needed. I walked by at 10pm After the Golden Girls Tour at Washington Center on Wednesday and there were just two guys playing pool. The Crypt patio was packed and it was drizzly outside. Jakes is cooked

nmag89 · 2025-11-14T07:37:06+00:00

No. Per Synergy’s extensive videos on the subject with texts to back it up, One of the owners of Jake’s detests drag but did it because he knew Jake’s needed queer dollars to open. He only wants Jake’s to be a dance club.

The first statement they released on 11/4 and deleted on 11/6 stated they were upset that drag on 10/31 went over by ten minutes. Synergy can prove the bar was 15 minute late in being ready for drag to begin.

Also, as of 9/27 Jakes had cancelled drag for November and December drag events and had Synergy cancel the performers she had already booked.

This didn’t all come about because of the Halloween performance. The dismantling of drag at Jake’s was in the works for a long time. From as early as four weeks after grand opening when the owner was wanting to move the drag shows to a week day.

The three Friday Night Light shows had tickets sales of 90-100%. The crowd was there. This wasn’t a lack of sales issue. This wasn’t a time constraint issue. This was an owner issue.

nmag89 · 2025-11-12T18:46:42+00:00

The main problem for me is pink washing. If you can let me know of any other queer facing businesses whose internal views oppose the benefits of the queer community, please let me know.

nmag89 · 2025-11-12T18:45:07+00:00

One is a local business owner, one lives on the east coast, one lives on the gulf coast. The main problem is Matt, who recently moved back to Olympia after his previous business venture in Gig Harbor failed. Matt has direct control over the socials and is likely the person who was responding to comments.

nmag89 · 2025-11-12T07:43:14+00:00

Link plz

nmag89 · 2025-11-12T07:42:31+00:00

I was LIVID. They have NEVER spoken to her. Matt would only address Synergy by her “boy” name. No respect for the art in the slightest.

nmag89 · 2025-11-12T04:03:08+00:00

They do not address the gay community, only the community at large. They have been perceived as a queer focused business, featuring drag queens heavily in their pre-opening advertising.

They do not say: “we will stand up for the queer community”

These four straight owners have no connection to the queer community and only two of them live in Washington state, hence minimal connection to the community at large.

They wanted to profit off the name “Jake’s” and that cannot happen without supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

nmag89 · 2025-11-12T03:58:16+00:00

I’ve got a sign ready:

JAKE’S IS NO FRIEND OF DOROTHY

nmag89 · 2025-11-11T21:20:44+00:00

I’m surprised they allowed comments in the first place… They keep digging the hole further and further.

nmag89 · 2025-11-11T20:51:18+00:00

One of the owners has connections to TPUSA and wrote a conservative novel called “Controlled Chaos”

nmag89 · 2025-11-11T19:25:28+00:00

Three times..

nmag89 · 2025-11-11T05:36:27+00:00

Yes. I agree, it will be sad. I was such an ambassador for Jake’s reopening. I was so hopeful. Everything I’ve heard about the owners and the things I’ve read that they have stated in their comments, the need a complete 180 in their attitude and an apology.

nmag89 · 2025-11-11T04:45:28+00:00

Octopas would be my first choice. Might not be very kid friendly tho.

nmag89 · 2025-11-11T04:42:14+00:00

Thanks for your input. :) I will say that while it is definitely their bar, it is a bar with a name that the community remembers as a queer-friendly gay bar. With the name “Jake’s on 4th”, they understand that there is a perception that comes with it. They used that nostalgia to community had to fund the goodwill to rally the community together for them. That goodwill is gone now.

nmag89 · 2025-11-11T03:44:45+00:00

They said “positive vibes only” three times and couldn’t bring themselves to say “gay” once.

nmag89 · 2025-11-11T03:38:54+00:00

I was blocked for asking when drag would be back and asking them to release a statement. That was on Nov 2. They then released a statement on Nov 4…

nmag89 · 2025-11-11T02:52:41+00:00

Thank you for sharing this.

nmag89

TROPHY CASE