Slammers

Slammers Bar & Pizza Kitchen
Slammers Bar exterior in 2022
Interactive map of Slammers Bar & Pizza Kitchen
AddressColumbus, Ohio
U.S.
Coordinates39°57′57″N 82°59′44.4″W / 39.96583°N 82.995667°W / 39.96583; -82.995667
TypeLesbian bar
Construction
Opened1993

Slammers Bar & Pizza Kitchen is a lesbian bar in Columbus, Ohio. Opened in 1993, it is one of Ohio's oldest gay bars and is still run by its original owner Marcia Riley. As of 2026, it is one of approximately thirty-six lesbian bars remaining in the country and the only one in Ohio. It was supported by the Lesbian Bar Project to help it survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

As has been the case with lesbian bars across the United States, Slammers has needed to evolve to adapt to the changing LGBTQ+ nightlife scene. While it began as a women's bar, early on it drew a business lunch crowd.

Slammie's on High

In 2022, the owners of Slammers opened Slammie's on High, near the Ohio State campus, which is also an LGBTQ+ friendly space but serves different food to the original location. It opened in March 2023 and closed in June 2024.

References

  1. ↑ Thompson, Erica (10 May 2017). "Behind Bars: Nikki Simonin at Slammers". Columbus Alive. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 Thompson, Erica (12 April 2021). "Slammers, one of 15 lesbian bars left in U.S., weathers pandemic, cultural shifts in Columbus". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  3. ↑ Bailey, Brittany (11 June 2021). "Slammers standing strong as one of few lesbian bars left in the country". 10tv.com. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  4. ↑ Thompson, Erica (12 June 2019). "Pride: Last lesbian bar standing". Columbus Alive. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  5. ↑ Mattson, Greggor (January 2019). "Are Gay Bars Closing? Using Business Listings to Infer Rates of Gay Bar Closure in the United States, 1977–2019". Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World. 5 2378023119894832: 237802311989483. doi:10.1177/2378023119894832.
  6. ↑ "21 lesbian bars remain in America. Owners share why they must be protected". PBS NewsHour. 2021-06-10. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "Slammies on High to bring fresh pizza and LGBTQ+ space to Ohio State". 2023-01-24. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  8. ↑ McLaughlin, Jack (2022-12-01). "Slammers opening new Columbus-style pizzeria and bar in recently-closed restaurant". Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  9. ↑ "Columbus' newest LGBTQ+ bar Slammies is a 'safe space for all to come in'". 2023-04-14. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  10. ↑ "Slammies on High closes, replaced by pizza place". 2024-09-18. Retrieved 2025-10-12.