Gay cafe in Galway

skwinty

Was thinking that there is a niche for a gay cafe in galway city. Just posting this on here to hear other people's feedback on it.

biko

Do you want to see if there is a customer base for a gay cafe?
Won't it in reality be just another cafe? Plenty of those.
Let me know if you'd rather move this to the Gay forum.

gaeilgegrinds1

Best friend from school is gay, he laughed initially when I texted him this, then said, but let me know if it goes ahead...says a lot!

Wompa1

So should gay people be seggregated?...I wouldn't think so

Hunchback

i don't believe it would work. the gay bar in galway is v.quiet outside of weekend nights, so i imagine i gay cafe would be equally as quiet, but without the bump in business of a fr/sat night.
also, other cafes in galway REALLY struggle to survive. a specifically gay cafe has a narrower customer base , i suppose and so survival would be tougher. i'm not sure that the draw of a cup of tea in a gay cafe would be sufficiently strong to keep gay customers coming back time and time again.
i do know that there was a gay cafe in galway about ten years ago called centurion, but i don't know anymore about it, except i think it was on lower abbeygate street, i think where trishas cafe stands today.

LadyMayBelle

A "specifically" gay cafe... again it's segregating homosexual and heterosexual people from one of life's simplest pleasures..coffee.

Bob_Harris

Wompa1 wrote: »

So should gay people be seggregated?...I wouldn't think so

I'd think so, hi-ooooooooo

Hunchback

Wompa1 wrote: »

So should gay people be seggregated?...I wouldn't think so

obviously not. but if there is a demand for it, then entrepreneurs will capitilise on this.

Is there such a thing as a specifically gay cafe anywhere in the world?

Xiney

Deleted User wrote: »

Is there such a thing as a specifically gay cafe anywhere in the world?

I'd wager so... although it's probably more "gay friendly" than strictly gay. As in, you probably won't get thrown out just for being straight, same as you likely wouldn't get thrown out of a gay bar.

That's true, but is the gay community big enough in Galway to make the idea feasible?

Fuinseog

gays are no longer as popular in galway as they used to be. the place used to be full of gay bars such as zulus and a place across from the bierhaus.they both appear to have since closed.

Fuinseog

Wompa1 wrote: »

So should gay people be seggregated?...I wouldn't think so

maybe its for the best. most straight guys would not appreciate being hit upon by someone from the gay community.

Xiney

Deleted User wrote: »

That's true, but is the gay community big enough in Galway to make the idea feasible?

well, the "gay and willing to admit it in public" community is probably too small, granted.

monkeypants

Aren't all cafes a bit gay?

I really don't think there'd be the market for a gay cafe in Galway - especially given that there is already a bit of a saturation with regards to cafes in general. It's a good idea, but I think it would only work in places where the gay community is a bit more open/larger.

3fullback

snubbleste

Why not a open a straight café OP?

TheCosmicFrog

Fuinseog wrote: »

maybe its for the best. most straight guys would not appreciate being hit upon by someone from the gay community.

Pretty sad straight guys.

Zeouterlimits

I think there are plenty of sane/tolerant cafés in Galway, not sure there's a need.

_Whimsical_

I think that it's a good idea in theory but maybe not the best practical business idea atm in Galway. I'm sure it must be hard for gay people to meet other gay people in Galway so there must be alot who would appreciate a more casual alternative to the pub where they might meet.

Maybe you could open a regular cafe and then when you are more established have gay nights or afternoons or something? Or see if a cafe in town would rent you their premises for an evening and try it out & see if there's much of a reaction.

One reason I think there may be an appetitie is that a few months ago I was in a cafe in Salthil sitting at the next table to a guy engrossed in an oddly large hardcover book. After half an hr or so another guy came over & asked what he thought of the book. Next thing they were making introductions & chatting away and the guy was joining him. I googled the book title later because stupidly I presumed their enthusiasm was because it was an amazing book or smthg. Turned out to be a gay title about finding love!*I thought it was a pretty ingenious way of getting your intention out there actually & was amazed it worked but there you go!:)

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padi89

Fuinseog wrote: »

gays are no longer as popular in galway as they used to be

LOL Post of the day!

hyperbaby

chilly wrote: »

I think that it's a good idea in theory but maybe not the best practical business idea atm in Galway. I'm sure it must be hard for gay people to meet other gay people in Galway so there must be alot who would appreciate a more casual alternative to the pub where they might meet.

Maybe you could open a regular cafe and then when you are more established have gay nights or afternoons or something? Or see if a cafe in town would rent you their premises for an evening and try it out & see if there's much of a reaction.

One reason I think there may be an appetitie is that a few months ago I was in a cafe in Salthil sitting at the next table to a guy engrossed in an oddly large hardcover book. After half an hr or so another guy came over & asked what he thought of the book. Next thing they were making introductions & chatting away and the guy was joining him. I googled the book title later because stupidly I presumed their enthusiasm was because it was an amazing book or smthg. Turned out to be a gay title about finding love!*I thought it was a pretty ingenious way of getting your intention out there actually & was amazed it worked but there you go!:)

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Awesome post
and good ideas also...

I fancy red heads , but there are no cafe's for people like me

ErnieBert

Deleted User wrote: »

I fancy red heads , but there are no cafe's for people like me

Gay red heads or straight red heads?

inisboffin

Fuinseog wrote: »

maybe its for the best. most straight guys would not appreciate being hit upon by someone from the gay community.

Are ya serious? Ask some straight women (and men!) how they feel in this week's cattle Market that is race week!

The gays have gone underground, but that is only because the time for overthrowing the nation is close!
(have NO idea about your 'gays being popular' quote Fuinseog, unless you mean strictly venues?) aren't there some new venues now?

Honestly not sure how much business it would get.. A hip, fun 'gay friendly' cafe with some kind of a hook like music or late night cabaret would be better IMO.

Mr.Mister

I disagree with a 'gay cafe' - Why are us straights being excluded from it?

I wouldn't stop a 'gay' going into a 'straight cafe'.

pleasant Co.

Getting a bit ahead of yourself don't you think? this purposed cafe doesn't yet exist for us straight folk to maybe not be allowed in to, and of course you cannot be barred from a cafe due to your sexual orientation, equality and all that

inisboffin

Mr.Mister wrote: »

I disagree with a 'gay cafe' - Why are us straights being excluded from it?

I wouldn't stop a 'gay' going into a 'straight cafe'.

So why would you imagine straight people wouldn't be allowed?
I think the ops idea is for a cafe where gay people feel comfortable being themselves, right? People have discriminated in the past, so I can see how it may be something some may want, just wonder how financially viable it would be?

Wompa1

Would gay people be going to the cafe for coffee or something else?, if its just for a drink and a chat couldn't they just go to any other cafe? Or is there a really big prejudice around Galway of gay people that I haven't noticed?

mikom

I see no problem with a gay cafe as the gay Chinese restaurant in town is working out well.

GalwayGuy92

mikom wrote: »

I see no problem with a gay cafe as the gay Chinese restaurant in town is working out well.

Gay Chinese restaurant?? Really?

I was thinking this myself OP, but in reality I don't see how it could work. As most posters have pointed out this niche is small and you would have to have a really big hook to draw the crowds. I know they work in Dublin but there is a much larger population and thus a bigger base for the niche. That said it could work if the image was very carefully managed and the profile built up very very quickly, it would take one hell of an entrepreneur to get a gay cafe off the ground with all the other coffeeshops around town.

biko

Gay Golden Palace?

baldbear

Well Holy god! A gay cafe. Who'd of thought it.

mikom

GalwayGuy92 wrote: »

Gay Chinese restaurant?? Really?

Yep, I was in there the last night.
I was struggling to eat with chopsticks and dropping food on the floor as usual.
Then the waiter slid up next to me and said "Want a fuck".

Peppapig

How silly is this!, if there was a only straight café there would be holy war!

Fuinseog

Peppapig wrote: »

How silly is this!, if there was a only straight café there would be holy war!

a cafe serving alcohol open after 6pm (yes java is open late, just about the only one), now that would be outrageous.

Eman Resu

I'll put it to you this way, I've seen two lads being asked to leave a certain popular pub in the western section of this city when all they were doing was sitting close to each other and holding hands. I guess the barman was homophobic or something but I thought it was completly unjustified and unfair. So in that climate there might be a place for this but as other posters have pointed out there may not be enough of a customer base for a business to survive.

GalwayGuy92

Peppapig wrote: »

How silly is this!, if there was a only straight café there would be holy war!

Its not going to be a gay only cafe, thats discrimination. I'm assuming it would be basically the same premise as a gay bar: Everyone is welcome but most people are presumably part of the LGBT community. So no-one is offended when they are hit-on/chatted up by someone of the same sex. Its all well and good to say "sure most places are gay-friendly" that however may be true but a normal cafe isnt exactly a place to meet new gay friends.
This isn't segregation its just a place where the LGBT subculture is predominant. The same way we have Spanish tapas bars etc.

Wompa1

GalwayGuy92 wrote: »

Its not going to be a gay only cafe, thats discrimination. I'm assuming it would be basically the same premise as a gay bar: Everyone is welcome but most people are presumably part of the LGBT community. So no-one is offended when they are hit-on/chatted up by someone of the same sex. Its all well and good to say "sure most places are gay-friendly" that however may be true but a normal cafe isnt exactly a place to meet new gay friends.
This isn't segregation its just a place where the LGBT subculture is predominant. The same way we have Spanish tapas bars etc.

gay friends or you know ...if its just to meet friends wouldn't a normal cafe do? otherwise like someone else said would it be gay only otherwise it could be a straight person they befriend! Is the idea of gay branded places for getting easy lays?

GalwayGuy92

Wompa1 wrote: »

gay friends or you know ...if its just to meet friends wouldn't a normal cafe do? otherwise like someone else said would it be gay only otherwise it could be a straight person they befriend! Is the idea of gay branded places for getting easy lays?

Well if I was to meet friend I already have I probly wouldn't bother going to a 'gay cafe' but if I was to meet new people I might venture in for a look. But if it was a straight person I was talking to then so be it, although I can't imagine a gay cafe becoming a hangout for large numbers of straight people.

As for getting easy lays, in my experience gay people aren't mindless sex machines and 'gay-branded' places aren't all sexhouses. Obviously there are places where you can go to get casual sex but alot of gay men do not frequent these places.
I do understand that it may seem a segregation of sorts but sometimes it is nice to be in a place where you are among people who are also gay, I for one feel less conspicuous and out of place.

ErnieBert

ErnieBert wrote: »

Gay red heads or straight red heads?

Straight red heads .

inisboffin

Deleted User wrote: »

Straight red heads .

And what, pray tell, have you got against with curly red heads?:p


There have been *numerous* 'kickings out' of gay people in Galway Pubs over the last 20 years for 'PDAs' - now the ones I heard of/even witnessed, were everything from sitting too close together, to wearing the face off each other.

Not mad on the hugely excessive PDAs for anyone meself, but I can guarantee you every straight snogging couple would never be thrown our of this certain pub. Yes, there is discrimination, I have seen it happen to my friends.
Now most of this happens in pubs, after drink is consumed anyway, and I totally see why gay bars are necessary, so people feel comfortable expressing themselves. The 'gay friendly' pubs are usually the arty ones around town, and apparently there is only one gay bar now, and one nightclub. I thought there was one in Salthill, but it is a rotating one apparently.

Still not sure if a full-time gay cafe is viable, but I think a glbt night/day in a gay friendly cafe would be a good idea.

Not all Galway establishments are gay friendly by a long shot, but 99.9% are straight friendly, so the argument about fairness and discrimination is a bit flawed.

Mr.Mister

What would be on the menu in a Gay Café?

snubbleste

Mr.Mister wrote: »

What would be on the menu in a Gay Café?

Cucumber sandwich

Mr.Mister

Chocolate fingers?

Pink wafers.

inisboffin

Alright, the thread has now officially become free for all homophobic which is bo**ix imo.

There are forums for the jokes, this has nothing to do with the OP's questions?

Head The Wall

Fuinseog wrote: »

a cafe serving alcohol open after 6pm (yes java is open late, just about the only one), now that would be outrageous.

It's bloody hard enough to get a coffee shop serving decent coffee open after 6PM as it is. I usually end up having to go to a pub/hotel and their coffee's usually aren't as good.

There is Javas, Pure Vida and Arabica (Dominick St at weekends). Is there any others that I am missing?

Bob_Harris

inisboffin wrote: »

Alright, the thread has now officially become free for all homophobic which is bo**ix imo.

There are forums for the jokes, this has nothing to do with the OP's questions?

Maybe these type of "homophobic" jokes will give him valuable information on the public's perception of the cafe.

mikom

inisboffin wrote: »

Alright, the thread has now officially become free for all homophobic

inisboffin wrote: »

which is bo**ix imo.

Yummy.