Philly's first queer women's sports bar to CLOSE after just one year in business
After just over a year in business, Philadelphia’s first LGBTQ women’s sports bar, Marsha’s, has announced that it would be closing for good at the end of the weekend.
A post issued by the bar on Wednesday stated, “Please join us for Marsha’s final weekend. It is with heavy hearts that we have decided to close Marsha’s doors for good. We have loved serving this community, and still believe that more than ever this city needs more women/queer/BIPOC- owned businesses. We sincerely hope that someone is able to step up and fill this void.”
The post stated that the bar’s final day would be Sunday, October 18. The bar had opened on South Street in Philadelphia’s Queen Village neighborhood on September 19, 2025. The bar, which is named after LGBTQ activist Marsha P. Johnson, was the first in the city to be dedicated to women’s sports.
Per the Philadelphia Inquirer, the announcement of the bar’s closure comes after controversy. The bar was raided in February by police, with Marsha’s owner Chivonn Anderson saying police were there to inspect the business after receiving complaints about serving alcohol to underage people, serving alcohol after permitted hours, and operating without licenses.
In recent months, the bar was accused by a fired employee, Olivia Rhodes, of not being a “safe space” for black, transgender, and queer people. Anderson told the Inquirer that the accusations had an effect on the business, which had responded to Rhodes with community discussions and statements.
“Unfortunately, a former employee was spreading lies about myself and the company. It just really affected our business and how the community saw us, and business just never kind of rebounded from that,” Anderson said.
While the video in which Rhodes made the allegations has since been deleted, she stands by her claims, and wrote on Instagram following the closure announcement, “She’d rather close the bar down than acknowledge and rectify the harm she caused.”
Comments