By Lauren Means & Selena Haynes – Photos Courtesy Christa Suppan/Lipstick Lounge
What started in 2002, in a little building off Woodland Street, has become iconic and even legendary in Middle Tennessee. In the early 2000s, East Nashville was not the buzzing area we know today but over the past 20 years, much growth, revitalization and change has occurred. Twin sisters, Ronda Landers and Jonda Valentine, saw the potential to have a place that was a neighborhood staple and in September of 2002, they took a chance on East Nashville and opened the Lipstick Lounge.
While it’s sometimes regarded as a lesbian lounge, Ronda and Jonda didn’t want labels. Hence the phrase given to the Lipstick — A Bar for Humans. The sisters wanted a lounge that would represent the diversity of East Nashville. Everyone is welcome without question but there is an expectation of respect from everyone who enters the doors.
That is exactly what has been created. Although there have been changes within the Lipstick over the years, the heart has remained the same. An early change that the owners made a few months into its existence was bringing on Christa Suppan as a partner. Christa was working at the Lipstick and had been in the industry for a long time as a bartender. Eventually, Jonda and Christa bought out Ronda but the lounge carried on.
Community Staple
Whenever someone asks about the hotspots for nightlife in Nashville, the Lipstick is always one to be brought up. There is always something going on. This started at its inception when Jonda and Ronda would perform every Friday night for patrons singing blues, funk and gospel. Growing up as preacher’s kids, their talent was natural. They sang in the choir and during the 1980s, they recorded gospel music, toured as backup singers for Ronnie Milsap and worked in the studio with artists including Dolly Parton.
You will now find award-winning karaoke, drag bingo, trivia, mini concerts, and album release parties among other events. This is in addition to their casual lounging and brunch during the day.
They are always open to helping out with community events too. The Lipstick is always a big supporter of Nashville CARES’ Dining Out For Life and, in recent years, donated 100% of proceeds from a specified brunch time to the cause.
They have also held fundraisers and events for other organizations including Nashville Pride, Tennessee Equality Project, and most recently, partnered with My Cluck Hut to create a special Lipstick branded jar candle with proceeds benefiting Launch Pad.
Adaptation
Having an entrepreneurial spirit has led to many other businesses at the Lipstick. The upstairs portion of the lounge has housed many things including an oxygen bar, a printing and promotions company, and the Hideout Salon just to name a few.
Though the core of the Lipstick has never wavered, Christa says over the past 20 years everything has changed. “We have continued to try to keep up with the pace of Nashville and the growth that has come along with that. It’s amazing that we still have some of the very same clientele we had when we first opened. So many new faces year after year and the continuing support of all the folks who still continue to support us has been amazing. The building has totally been redone, we have added The Upper Lip, our cigar bar upstairs and we hope to be doing something amazing soon to add to our footprint in East Nashville,” Christa says.
The Upper Lip is a high-end bar and cigar lounge that opened in February 2022. This newest venture is meant to provide a quiet area free from the bustling lounge below where cigar aficionados can relax. The space is 21+ only, cigar smoking only and no food allowed. The Upper Lip can be enjoyed from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
This ability to adapt and change with the landscape of Nashville, and the community the Lipstick serves, has enabled it to thrive. Christa shares that there are even more plans for expansion. “If everything goes as planned we hope to be adding on to the back of Lipstick. This would give us another bar area and a really cool hang!” she said enthusiastically.
Dire Straits
At times, it was more survival mode than thriving, though. East Nashville has seen its share of devastation throughout the years. There was the Nashville flooding in 2010, the tornadoes in 2019 that caused widespread damage in the area including the Lipstick itself, and, of course, the pandemic.
“The support we have received from our friends and family of Lipstick has been incredible. From the flood of 2010, to the tornado and throughout the pandemic, we can honestly say we wouldn’t still be here without the love, encouragement and donations — without all of them,” says Christa.
The bar and restaurant industries took an unimaginable hit from COVID-19. Quarantine lockdowns, staff reductions, and capacity limits presented challenges that could have never been anticipated. Queer spaces, like the Lipstick, were not spared. They had to close down for six months at the beginning of the pandemic.
Fortunately, they pulled through to reopen and that’s a good thing because, in 2020, it was reported that there were only around 15 lesbian bars open in the U.S. — a steep decrease from the near 200 reported in the late ‘80s. This was also very disproportionate to the number of bars that cater to gay men and mixed-gender establishments which has been reported to be over 1,000 in the U.S.
This was highlighted by creators Erica Rose and Elina Street with the creation of the Lesbian Bar Project. Through storytelling, they were able to feature the decline of lesbian-centered spaces. Along with the help of Lea Delaria as narrator, they created a PSA to fundraise for the remaining bars and after a four-week fundraiser in 2020, they were able to raise over $117,000 for participating locations.
In an interview with The Lesbian Bar Project, Christa explained how important lesbian bars are to our community. She said, “Lesbian Bars need to be protected to continue as a place of safety, especially for those who are just starting their true life and are still scared or timid. To be able to provide a place for freedom to love and live without judgment will always be important! For us specifically, it’s almost like a secret understanding that when you pass through our doors you will be loved exactly for who you are.”
Upcoming Celebration
The Lipstick Lounge’s official anniversary is September 4, but they are hosting a huge party on October 8 in celebration of the anniversary. “We are beyond excited to be celebrating 20 years! As much as we would love to say we knew we could make it, there have been so many times we didn’t know if we could keep going,” says Christa. They give a lot of credit for their longevity to the community they serve. Christa says, “We have sincere gratitude for all the patrons that became friends and family. Without their support and the amazing support of our entire staff at Lipstick, we never would have been able to celebrate 20 years.”
For more information about The Lipstick Lounge, The Upper Lip, and the upcoming anniversary party visit https://thelipsticklounge.com/.
