By Meghan Dewar • Charlottetown • 2025-07-14
There’s a new bar in town… and it’s as loud, proud and colourful as the community it hopes to embrace.
Planning to open in time for this year’s Pride P.E.I. celebrations, the Be You Bar will be a safe, inclusive and long-awaited 2SLGBTQIA+ addition to the bar scene in downtown Charlottetown.
The nightclub and lounge’s anticipated opening day is July 26th at 7pm and will open their colourful doors at 119 Grafton Street, the former home of the Hive and Hollow.
Filling a gap in the market
The bar’s opening comes at a convenient time for the queer community in light of the recent closing of Upstreet Craft Brewing, which served as a safe and inclusive space for socializing and queer-centred events.
Wayves spoke to Be You’s front-of-house manager. “The idea of a 2SLGBTQ safe space is really appealing to me, with the owner having that community notion and passion for keeping this safe and welcoming space.”
Safety First
In order to maintain a safe and inclusive space, several measures will be in place including a zero-tolerance policy regarding homophobia, transphobia, racism, or any kind of hate or violence.
“Safety is one of our top concerns. We’re going to have someone on the door, checking people with metal detectors and we will have a list of people that we won’t allow in the bar,” they explained, “The staff will all go through Bystander Intervention training and first aid training.”
Safety is one of our top concerns.
In addition, security guards will be available and eight new security cameras will be installed. Staff will also have a supply of ‘customer code of conduct cards,’ which will be handed to patrons who have been reported for hate or violence, a method adopted from Upstreet’s Craft Beer Corner.
“The staff just hand the patron this little card that says they aren’t adhering to our customer values and to please leave. We want to make it really clear right off the bat; we are not welcoming the haters. It’s a peaceful space.”
From ABBA to Chappell Roan
Be You Bar hopes to fill a gap in the market for the local queer community and become the newest hub for gatherings, events, relaxation and bustling nightlife. It plans to be open twice a day, from 11:30am-4:30pm as a 19+ lounge and from 7pm-2am as a 19+ club with dancing and drinks. There are also plans to hold all-ages teen dances on Sunday evenings for queer youth.
Breaking the mold of boring bar music, Be You plans to have an upbeat selection of music that transitions from 70s disco to 80s pop to 90s hits with some house and rave music mixed in.
The bar also hopes to put on gender-affirming haircut events, paint and sips, drag nights, line-dancing lessons, and whatever else interests the community.
It Takes A Village
It takes a village to raise a child and Be You Bar is the new kid on the block.
Even before officially opening their doors, the bar has already garnered a positive response, shared the owner, who intends for the space to ‘belong to the queer community.’ “People feel good about helping something so important,” said the owner, who prefers not to share their identity.
“I have painters that have offered to come and decorate with their art. I have a lot of people that are getting involved and being part of it. It gives them some hope that something positive is coming.”
The owner’s goal is to save lives by providing a safe space for queer culture, gender euphoria and friendship formation.
“It’s hard to make friends as an adult as it is, but if you’re a little different than everyone else then it’s nice to have a place to go where you can let your hair down,” they explained, “The purpose of Be You is to bring the community out to be seen and appreciated, to be who they are and dress how they want. It’s a safe space for the queer community and the friends and allies. It’s their club.”
Meghan Dewar is a queer journalist on P.E.I. with a background in Indigenous Affairs and arts/culture reporting.
