Lansing’s only LGBTQ nightclub to reopen under new ownership – WILX-TV

September 8, 2021 Kim Martel

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Lansing’s only LGBTQ dance bar is getting ready to reopen under new ownership.

Spiral became an important place for many people over the years and the new owners hope to keep that tradition alive. The bar closed in March 2020 during the first wave of COVID restrictions, and it never reopened.

People in the LGBTQ community said it feels like they’ll be able to come back to a place they call home.

“I’ve met some of the best friends of my life here at Spiral. I was really sad to see it go,” said Tisha King, who moved to Lansing in 2006. “I always have to find my local gay bar.”

For her, Spiral became a second home.

“You really have to have a space where you can congregate your people, whether it be a bar or just to have that general reaching out to people,” said King.

She said gay bars, like Spiral, become safe havens for people in the LGBTQ community, especially younger people.

“Growing up as LGBTQ, gay bars were really the only place that he had that we were safe to congregate together,” said King.

“When the community lost this, they really really lost a part of themselves. We weren’t sure it was going to ever reopen,” said Rodger Giessman, Entertainment Manager.

Giessman worked at Spiral for 15 years.

“I always missed my home bar,” he said.

Now Giessman is the entertainment manager for the bar, which is under new ownership.

“I think it gives people that kind of new home or place to come to again where they can feel like themselves or be who they want to be,” said Giessman.

Giessman said it was important to keep it a gay club to fill the void Spiral left during the pandemic.

“In Central Michigan, we really don’t have a place for people to go so bringing something back to this caliber and this state is going to provide a safe place for someone who can’t get out to Grand Rapids or Detroit,” he said.

Geismann said the new owner is planning some changes, including a new name, concept, and remodeling. The goal is for the bar to reopen in mid-October.

Spiral’s liquor license needs to be transferred to the new owners to reopen.

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