The former Heatwave and Stonewall space on Church Street in Parramore is reopening under new management with a new mission in September as the Sapphire Lounge.
Sapphire Lounge is billed as “Orlando’s first and only Sapphic+ lounge and restaurant”; and, to their point, Orlando hasn’t even had a lesbian-focused space since the bar Faces closed in 2007, much less a “Sapphic lounge/restaurant.” The Sapphire will open over Labor Day weekend, and the grand opening party is already in the works.
The new ownership team promises a revamped experience in a building that has previously hosted two LGBTQ+-focused nightlife spots — Heatwave, which closed earlier this year after less than a year open, and Stonewall, which shut down abruptly at the end of 2021. This is a roomy and aesthetic building near the soccer stadium, but one that brings with it the familiar logistical hurdles of running a business near downtown, particularly parking issues during large-scale events.
Nightlife entrepreneur Jay Ruiz and chef and Ultimatum contestant Mel Vitale, the owners of this new establishment, have set out to create “a safe space for the lesbian community.” As with previous iterations of the building, the main room, patio and open-air upstairs lounge will each offer entertainment on varying scales of the party-o-meter, from live performances to watch parties. There will be a food menu on offer into late night hours of “Mexican-inspired dishes” as well as a full cocktail program. A busy event calendar is promised, encompassing live music, drag, burlesque, DJs and more. (A “look inside” post on Instagram over the weekend went wild, with a mix of optimism and even a little shade thrown, including via the Heatwave account.)
Sapphire Lounge’s grand opening is on Friday, Sept. 4, at 9 p.m. Tickets start at $19. The event will be hosted by Magan and Dayna (!), contestants on Season 2 of Netflix dating masterpiece The Ultimatum: Queer Love.
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