City Side Lounge. (Photo via City Side’s Facebook)
TAMPA | City Side Lounge announced late Feb. 10 that its final day of operation will be March 2.
Billed as an “LGBTQ+ neighborhood bar,” City Side has served the greater Tampa Bay region since 1991. It was purchased by owners Delon Cunningham and Michael Rivera in 2020, who also own Tampa’s MR D’z Men’s Emporium.
“We have been around for over 30 plus years and hope that when you walk into our establishment you feel welcomed and are immediately greeted by one of our fabulous and amazing staff,” the space’s website reads. “We offer nightly drink specials, chill and dance music, drag shows on select nights and much more entertainment.”
Cunningham and Rivera first shared news of its closure via social media.
“It is with a sad and heavy heart that I have some difficult news to share, as we approach the end of this Month,” the bar shared via Facebook. “After much consideration, we have decided to close down City Side Lounge.
“This journey has been one of immense learning and growth, but despite our best efforts, unfortunately there was no other way forward due to circumstances beyond our control,” the statement continued. “We [would] like to thank ALL of our customers that have supported us over the many years!”
Read more:
Watermark Out News reached out to City Side for additional comment and spoke with Cunningham regarding the closure. He cited rising operational costs for the owners’ decision.
“It’s the cost of everything, not just one particular thing,” he explains. “Rent is very high in that area, South Tampa is premium living and back in its prime, when there were 10 people deep waiting to get a drink, no one blinked at the rent because money was coming in.
“Now the costs of goods have gone up, the cost of employment has gone up, the cost of insurance has gone up. Everything has gone up,” Cunningham continues. “[The business] can’t sustain itself anymore because you just can’t keep on raising drink prices and raising drink prices.”
Cunningham notes that City Side currently has nine employees, some of whom may retain employment at MR D’z, which will continue to operate. The latter establishment will also begin opening daily at noon to see if it “brings in any kind of day drinkers or helps kill the crush of [closing] City Side” for happy hour patrons.
While City Side isn’t actively for sale, Cunningham adds that he would entertain selling the business.
“At this point if someone made me an offer and we talked about it, sure, we could resolve something,” he says. “But we’re not quite sure what landlord is going to do. I’m sure he would want someone in there too; the business has been there for 35 years, so it’s been a big part of the community.
“A lot of people would love to have the space and I would love for it to stay open, but we’ll see,” Cunningham adds. “The biggest thing I want to say is thank you for supporting me, my family and my dream. I want to say thank you and please continue to support gay businesses. If you don’t support them they’re not gonna survive.”
