近距离内射合集

What started as a small LGBTQ+ meetup roughly five years ago has blossomed into Albuquerque鈥檚 newest bar.

VERS, a new LGBTQ+ focused bar, club and gathering space, will have its grand opening on Friday and Saturday at 5001 Central NE. Doors will open at 7 p.m. and close at 2 a.m.

Business partners and married couple Lucas Romero and Luke Rogers have been together for almost 15 years. They say their idea for the new club comes after years spent creating spaces where people feel welcomed and connected.

鈥淚t鈥檚 for everyone under the rainbow who wants to come and support and be here and feel comfortable here, allies included,鈥� Rogers said, as he stood in the quiet venue just days before its grand opening.

The couple鈥檚 vision started to materialize in November 2021 when they launched Friends of Dorothy, a mixer that meets quarterly at different venues to provide a space to mingle. What began with roughly 20 attendees has grown into a community of nearly 400 people that has rallied behind the couple and their newest venture, Romero said.

After hosting Friends of Dorothy, Romero and Rogers said they will bring that sense of belonging to a fixed location that will serve the LGBTQ+ community year-round.

鈥淟uke and I have always been entrepreneurial in spirit, and so we have wanted to open a business,鈥� Romero said. 鈥淎nd we鈥檝e had so many people over the last six years be like, 鈥榊ou guys should really think about opening a gay bar.鈥欌��

At a soft opening for friends and family, Rogers said many attendees were surprised to find the industrial-decorated venue in Albuquerque rather than in New York or London. He said he and his husband are proud of that feedback because they 鈥渇eel like the Albuquerque queer community deserves nice spaces.鈥�

Upon entering VERS, club-goers are met with a large, dazzling disco ball hanging above a black-and-white checkered marble floor, where every tap of the heel produces a sharp click.

Dark maroon booths line the room, and a glassy blue tile backsplash nestles just behind the fully stocked bar. As the night goes on, people can retreat to an open room adjacent to the bar with a dance floor featuring a sparkly, silver-swirled design under their feet.

Throughout the space, local art and vibrant posters match the atmosphere, while floor-to-ceiling maroon curtains frame the large windows.

鈥淚t's a whole different vibe whenever we close these curtains,鈥� Romero said.

But those curtains exist to fit the venue鈥檚 aesthetic, unlike the blocked-off windows of early queer spaces in the 1960s, which served as vital safe havens to evade police crackdowns during an era when LGBTQ+ identities were criminalized, according to the . Today鈥檚 LGBTQ+ bars have far greater acceptance than in the past, Romero said.

The couple said the venue distinguishes itself from traditional LGBTQ+ establishments by combining three concepts under one roof: a nightclub, a bar and a unique food menu.

The bar鈥檚 simple yet elevated menu, Rogers said, includes a gochujang chicken sandwich, fried green bean bites, fried mac and cheese bites and an Asian salad. Although Romero said he and his husband were not striving for a Southwestern theme, green chile cheese curds also appear on the menu.

The variety of food is meant to offer people different options while gathering, the couple said, adding that they hope it also attracts a diverse demographic.

鈥淚 feel like our older queer community wants to sometimes come out a little earlier in the evening,鈥� Rogers said. 鈥淭hey want to eat, and they want to have a nice cocktail. They can do that here.鈥�

By around 10 p.m., the bar pivots away from cocktails in favor of mixed drinks like vodka Red Bulls and sodas, Rogers said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to be a lot of things to a lot of different people in our community through our menus and how we approach our operations,鈥� he said.

That sentiment is also reflected in the newly hired employees, the couple said. After reviewing more than 200 applications and meeting with about 50 candidates, they hired 26, who will ensure guests feel welcomed and valued, they said.

The pair said their favorite part of the space so far has been seeing people excited and eager to walk through the doors. They hope VERS provides an environment that encourages community interaction for years to come, just like their initial vision for Friends of Dorothy.

鈥淚f there was someone that we didn鈥檛 know or had never been to Friends of Dorothy, we were very intentional with approaching them, having conversations with them and making sure they felt welcome 鈥� and that was important for us here,鈥� Romero said.

Keelin Fisher is a business reporter for the Journal. You can reach her at kfisher@abqjournal.com.