Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner
At this time last year, Lisa Menichino was in bed sipping a constant cycle of bourbon and frozen push pops often mixed for the sulkiest, sweetest drink she could imagine while fretting over the future of her bar. Today, the phone at Cubbyhole on a picturesque West Village intersection, 281 West 12th Street, won’t stop ringing as regulars are eager to reserve a seat outdoors at the city’s only open lesbian space to reopen.
After Menichino’s month or so of brooding during 2020’s first shutdown in March, messages from guests reminded her of Cubbyhole’s unique status: It’s one of Manhattan’s last two lesbian bars. A place where the queer community could meet partners, grieve, and gather safely. Like many lesbian bar owners struggling to sustain their businesses, she started a GoFundMe to help cover expenses at the shuttered space. Cubbyhole reopened last summer, and closed when the weather cooled down mid-December. Customer-designed T-shirts h