A new business is quietly in the works to fill in the blanks for Ann Arbor, where safe spaces for the queer communities are in scarcity. A new LGBTQ+ bar called Uplift plans to open later this summer, taking over the former Millennium Club space at 210 S. First St. This news was first seen on MLive Ann Arbor.
Co-founder Saharsh Hajela and a silent partner have been working diligently on the concept over the past year. “I feel it’s very apparent the void that exists for a full-time dedicated queer bar, and this something Uplift aims to remedy for us,” Hajela said in the MLive coverage.
Uplift, whose name indicates a much-needed uplifting of Ann Arbor’s LGBTQ+ community, will serve beer, wine, seltzers, cocktails, and various non-alcoholic beverages. The space will also host various events, including comedy shows, drag brunches, and dance parties. The concept does not have a kitchen, but the business is partnering with The Circ Bar to provide hot food options.
Hajela is a software engineer by day but has spent the past few years organizing LGBTQ-friendly events at LIVE Nightclub on First Street, which gave him the hospitality and event industry experience necessary to develop Uplift’s concept. The MLive article mentioned the hours will be 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to midnight Sunday. Those eager to follow the opening journey can sign up for Uplift’s newsletter on the bar’s website.
What Now Detroit reached out to Hajela but hadn’t heard back by the time of this coverage.
