Edinburgh's first 'queer cafe' announces closure as owners say 'this is only the beginning'
Kafe Kweer opened back in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but with their lease set to end on Monday, September 1, they have made the decision to close for good after five years of service.
Sharing the news on social media, owners Oskar and Zak wrote: "Our lease ends on 1st September, and with this we have made the tough decision to shut our doors after 5 incredible years on that date. We do this entirely on our own terms, recognising a coinciding shift in our personal lives, creative goals, rising costs, and beyond.
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"Kafe Kweer started as a manic project at the height of lockdown, after we saw a Facebook post advertising a small shop looking for new management.
"Everything was so uncertain at this time that we decided to just GO for it, with zero expectations and lots of risk. We thought we'd be lucky to last a year. And here we are exactly five years later, despite COVID, Brexit, cost of living crises, and being located in a quiet part of town."
But this isn't the end of Kafe Kweer, while they won't have the cafe anymore, the pair want to continue to host their social events and help queer people find community here in Edinburgh.
They continued: "Despite closing our physical space, we aim to keep using our platform and network to host some of our social events in other spaces, helping queer people find connection amidst this hostile world, and spreading the news about other local queer events/resources. The ethos and mission of what KK is about is more than one single shop could ever do, and we plan on continuing to be a hub for Edinburgh's queer community in one way or the other!
"We close our doors in September with our heads held high and our hearts very full with the love you've given us over the years. We know this'll be sad news for many, and it's a sad decision for us, but we believe in doing what we've always done: adapting and evolving.
"We'd ask that you all come see us this August for our last month open. We'll be selling a lot of our stock at bargain prices , hosting Fringe shows every afternoon, and probably crying a lot.
"This is only the beginning. Queer joy forever."
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