When Marcia Riley opened Slammers in 1993, it wasn’t the only lesbian bar in the city. At the time, there were more than 200 lesbian bars in the U.S., and a handful of them were right here in Columbus. Those who remember Columbus in those days can attest to the number of bars, shops, and bookstores where LGBTQ+ people gathered. While many of those early outposts of the city’s queer community have come and gone, and some have been replaced by more recently opened LGBTQ+ establishments, Slammers has withstood the test of time and held its own against the shuttering of lesbian bars nationwide. While gay bars abound, Slammers is one of an estimated 21 historic lesbian bars that remain in the U.S.
Slammers is one of the last remaining lesbian bars in the U.S. Source: Experience Columbus.
“Slammers is, I think, the only one in Ohio that considers being a lesbian bar their full identity,” said General Manager Bobbi Moore, who has worked at Slammers for eight years. “Obviously, anybody is welcome to walk through our doors, but a lesbian bar is the way it opened and the way it’s remained for 32 years.”
Located in the heart of downtown Columbus at 202 E. Long St., Slammers is easy to find—let your ears guide you toward the sounds of merriment emanating from the patio, look for the rainbow mural on the side of the building, and follow your nose to the melty, cheesy goodness of their famous pizza. While Slammers has an array of bar food, including subs, salads, quesadillas and wings, to complement the sports on their TVs, the pizza keeps people coming back.
“Our pickle pie is a big seller,” said Assistant General Manager Jaci Kincaid of the Slammers signature pizza, which features white sauce, mozzarella, pickles, and cheddar. (Despite going to Slammers many times, it’s one of the few things I’ve tried on the menu because it’s so good that I order it nearly every time I go.) “The Bobbi Pizza is really good, too,” Moore adds with a laugh, speaking of her namesake pizza, which has the classic red sauce and mozzarella topped with pineapple, bacon, and jalapeños. Pair that with the mainstay signature cocktail, Slammonade, and you’ve got a classic Slammers meal.
Slammers offers pizzas, sandwiches & salads, plus billiards & live music and more. Source: Experience Columbus.
As beloved as the menu is, the community is the heart of the bar’s secret to success.
“Slammers is like the ‘Cheers’ of the lesbian community,” Moore said. “We still have women coming in here who have been coming here since it opened. I give Marcia the credit for that.”
The original owner, Marcia Riley, owned and ran Slammers from its opening in 1993 to 2022, when she retired. However, ownership didn’t travel far. Riley kept Slammers in the family by selling it to her nephew, who kept things largely as they were and let Slammers do what it does best: bringing people together.
“What made us last and what propelled us into the future was accepting more and more types of community and groups coming in,” Moore said.
One of the ways she has helped cater to wide swaths of the queer community is through having themed events nearly every night of the week: Karaoke Sunday, Martini Monday, Bingo Tuesday, Music Trivia Wednesday, and so on, plus monthly and bimonthly events like the wildly popular Lez Dance on the second Saturday of the month, Queer Art Club, Gender Bender, Madi’s Big Queer Book Club, Stonewall Sports gatherings, and more.
“We have such a large queer community in Columbus that I think it’s important to appeal to all different kinds of queer people because there are many different versions of us out here. I think we’ve done a really good job building a space that has a little bit of something for everyone,” Kincaid said. “Regardless of what your interests are, we have something here for you.”
As the number of lesbian bars nationwide dwindles, Slammers is working to fight the idea that lesbian bars are a thing of the past.
“What I read was from the mid-80s to mid-90s, there were over 200 in the country and by the time the Lesbian Bar Project got around to us, there were 21. My opinion on the reason that happened is, at the time, gay people had to hide in the shadows and they had to love in the shadows,” said Moore. “Then, as time went on, acceptance grew and we got a lot more people, including allies and parents, on our side. I think we started feeling brave enough and okay enough to walk in public holding hands and we were like, ‘I want to go to the restaurants and places everybody else is going to.’ And we’re finally being accepted in spaces that we weren’t quite sure of and taking our partner on a date.
“But luckily we did the reverse and also accepted the public into our space and I think that really helped get people around here to know us and understand that creepy things are not happening in the dark here,” Moore added. “We just want to watch sports, eat pizza, drink our beer, and feel safe doing it. I think it’s just more acceptance that has closed down those spaces over the years because they weren’t as much of a necessity anymore.”
The mural outside of Slammers was created by artist Summer Schultz. Source: Experience Columbus.
Though Slammers has a history behind it, the bar is continuing to evolve and welcome more people in.
“After Pride [2025], we’re completely redoing our patio with our version of a Rainforest Cafe. There’s going to be a coffee shop on the patio that’s open during the day with a greenhouse vibe, and we’re adding more bathrooms,” Moore said. “We’re just expanding and there are a lot of exciting things coming up for us.”
The patio renovation and coffee addition aren’t the only exciting things coming up in Moore and Kincaid’s lives. The General Manager and Assistant General Manager pair met at Slammers three years ago when Kincaid came in and applied for a job. Kincaid then passed on the opening at Slammers to take an internship in New Orleans with one of the best dog trainers in the world. When she returned, the two got back in touch and the rest is history. Moore and Kincaid are getting married this year and are a part of a long line of love stories that owe their origins to Slammers.
Slammers always goes all out for Pride, so look for amped-up Pride versions of their regular weekly events, plus a special burlesque show and karaoke, as well as a Slammers “Pink Pony Club”-themed float in the Pride parade. The festivities will take place during Pride Week, June 9th through 15th, so mark your calendars and be sure to follow Slammers on social media for the latest updates. Additionally, go ahead and pencil in the Slammers' 32nd anniversary party on Saturday, August 23rd, as well and stay tuned for more info.
It takes a village to keep Slammers going, and a family, a chosen family, to fight the erasure of lesbian bars.
“There are roughly 30 of us who work here and we’re all really involved in the community. Our customers, a lot of times, are our friends, our chosen family, our teammates from sports we play,” Kincaid said. “We’ve done a good job making ourselves a core spot in people’s lives.”
And they’d like you to be a part of it. Find Slammers at 202 E. Long St. in downtown Columbus.
