Member Spotlight: Rob Browatzke from Evolution Wonderlounge
Member Spotlight: Rob Browatzke from Evolution Wonderlounge
Introduction:
Let’s start by having you tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Rob Browatzke. Although I grew up in Fort Saskatchewan and then went to University in Lethbridge, I’ve been in Edmonton now for 25 years. In fact, April of this year marks my 25th anniversary working in Edmonton’s gay nightlife scene. In that time, I’ve worked at a number of bars and baths, most long gone now, places like Down Under, Boots, The Roost, Buddys, Woodys, Prism, Junction, while simultaneously working with a number of local queer non-profits.
Business Background:
Tell us about your business, Evolution Wonderlounge. What inspired you to start a gay nightclub in Edmonton? How has the 2SLGBTQIA+ community influenced the identity and atmosphere of your establishment?
In the fall of 2012, the bar that I was working at, Junction, closed down. At the same time, my uncles were relocating to Canada from Palm Springs, where they had run a couple of gay hotels over the past 10 years. We started talking about opening something together, since we were all finding ourselves at loose ends. Originally it had been my intention to find a space in Calgary. This plan went as far as even me saying goodbye to all my friends and colleagues in Edmonton and relocating. That relocation was short-lived. Every space we looked at in Calgary fell apart and so we started looking here as well, especially after the closure of Flash in 2013 left Edmonton with one dance club. When we came across this space, we saw only possibility. I had seen it work as a gay nightclub before (Play, 2008-2010), and we definitely bought into Edmonton’s Ice District Dream. We were excited to get it open and established so that when Rogers Place opened and that Ice District happened, we would be poised to benefit.
Nightlife had never really been my career plan as a kid, but it was something I fell into and found myself enjoying. My uncles similarly had never planned on careers in nightlife, even though they had a lot of experience throwing big gay parties down in Palm Springs. A vision we all shared was that a nightclub had to be more than just a place to drink or dance or cruise to be successful; community and connection was what it was all about, right from the beginning.
Membership in the LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce:
Why did you choose to become a member of the Alberta LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce?
Long before there was this Chamber of Commerce, there was a group here locally called the Edmonton Rainbow Business Association. Many of you can probably relate to the part of coming out where you are suddenly speaking and living your truth and want to plunge in. I wanted everything to be gay. If there was a choice between a business serving the gay community and one the broader public, I wanted to choose the former. I saw that association take such a leading role in the community, in the pride planning of those years, etc. I saw small business owners donating their time and talents and resources for the betterment of the community, and this was inspirational. This was even before I realized how time and resource consuming running your own business is, and that makes their contributions all the more meaningful.
We have tried over the years to work with many businesses and groups, some of which happened, some didn’t, some of which were mutually beneficial, some of which weren’t. But one thing that the years of the pandemic closures really drove home is that we cannot be an island. We need like-minded allies in the business community to survive and thrive, especially as the economy does whatever it is it’s doing right now! When I met Chair Moe Yassine at the 2023 Pride Cup, his passion for Alberta LGBTQ+ businesses reminded me of that deep-seated admiration for ERBA and their work, and so of course it was time to join.
Challenges and Triumphs:
What challenges have you faced as a business owner in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and how have you overcome them?
The challenges have certainly changed over the years, but one thing that remains constant, there are always new unforeseen obstacles. When we opened, we were one of four gay bars in Edmonton, so a significant challenge at the beginning was finding our own path. Certainly, I think we did overcome that challenge eventually, if being the last gay bar standing is any sort of proof. I’m not sure that is, honestly; sometimes it feels so much of a business surviving is luck. After those other bars closed though, it seemed that presented us with a new challenge, one that we continue to have to navigate, sometimes more successfully than others. Being the only gay bar in a city of this size means trying to find ways to create unique events that appeal to everyone while not alienating other groups. We have certainly learned first hand though that in trying to please everyone, you can end up pleasing no one. That required us to refocus our vision; we cannot be all things to all queer Edmontonians, but we can be what we are in the best way that we can.
Of course, with any queer business, there is also going to be the inevitable homophobia we have to deal with. That is something we have also dealt with often over the years, even needing to deactivate voicemail a few times to stave off the vile messages we get typically around pride or anytime the media focuses on us. You’d think we’d get a thick skin after years of that, but as I am sure many members know, the slurs and hate can still sting. There is definitely an uptick in that now, with the last few years of anti-drag and anti-trans groomer narrative being spun out by the very real enemies our community still has. This is a challenge we will need to face as long as we proudly fly that flag outside our door. For years, there were no problems with homophobic/transphobic slurs or violence outside our space; sadly, that is changing with new neighbors up the street and a license to hate being issued by so many governments.
The biggest challenges we face right now are ones not exclusive to queer businesses. Downtown Edmonton is certainly presenting new difficulties every day for us. Don’t get me wrong, we love a good downtown. A good downtown is the heart of a city just like a gay bar is the heart of that city’s queer community, but we are a bit fatigued with what we are facing outside our front door. We have had construction visible from our entryway every single day in the nearly eleven years we have been here; we knew we were signing up for some construction – the arena and Ice District, etc, but the endless LRT work, road closures, etc are making it very difficult to operate; even getting stock deliveries can be a challenge. Couple that with the sometimes-accurate/sometimes-exaggerated perception of a crime-riddled city core and we are fighting an uphill battle to get people to come downtown and enjoy us.
We are also tenants in a very old building. That presents us with a list of challenges too long to get into, from the lack of accessibility, to leaks and floods, to less-than-cooperative neighbors. And being a small business that rents from a multi-million dollar company that sees you as nothing more than one line of a spreadsheet comes with a whole bunch of issues; especially during the recent pandemic, where we had zero revenue but they still got all their money – we did what had to to ensure we kept the space alive for our community, even if that meant taking on massive new debt load. Yes, the biggest challenges we have faced as a business aren’t about our queer identity at all.
Can you share a particular success story or achievement that stands out in your journey with Evolution Wonderlounge?
We have had far more achievements than challenges though, that’s for sure. Some of my particularly proudest moments are around our Community Street Festival, which ran 2017-2019 right outside our front door. Being able to bring what we do downstairs out into the fresh air was wonderful, especially in 2019 when so many other events, including the parade, were cancelled. Hosting some all-ages events have also been truly special; having queer kids here with their parents, or queer parents here with their kids, enjoying some of the drag that forms such a cornerstone of our business, well, those are some great afternoons.
Community Involvement:
How does your business contribute to the local 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Edmonton?
Are there specific initiatives or partnerships that you have been involved in to support the community?
Community involvement has been a cornerstone of our business since Day One. Edmonton has a vibrant queer non-profit sector and our space has been home to so many incredible fundraising initiatives. Groups like the Pride Centre, Curling with Pride, the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose, and Womanspace were active in our space right from the beginning. We estimate that about $400,000 has been raised in house and redistributed to our community partners. There are often fundraisers in the space for groups like Chew, for bursaries for queer and trans students (we even gave away our own a couple years), and truly, so many causes. Our Pride Community Street Festival saw all profits go back into the community.
One of my personal proudest initiatives is our May Long Weekend Drag Marathon for Mental Health. I’d long hosted big drag shows on May Long Weekend for my birthday but since 2015, I’ve tied those shows into fundraisers for various mental health, suicide prevention, and addiction and recovery programs, including Brite Line and this year’s coming fundraiser for the Josh Brown Wellness Resource Center operating out of the Pride Centre - a new program in memory of someone we lost to addiction and suicide in 2020. I’d say it’s been around $50,000 raised through this annual show. Being 13 years sober myself, and having had my own up and down journey with mental health and self-harm, and having lost far too many friends to accidental overdose and suicide, this show and these causes are close to my heart. Literally. I’ve got a chest tattoo “too many too soon” with stars honoring those I’ve lost.
Industry Trends:
How do you see the 2SLGBTQIA+ nightlife scene evolving, and how does Evolution Wonderlounge stay current with industry trends?
Nightlife certainly has changed since we opened our doors in 2013. Large dance spaces like ours are certainly a rarity now, both here in Edmonton and across the country. The trend is towards smaller spaces that can incorporate dance floors or pop-up events. When we opened, we were happy to have such a large capacity (largest since the closure of the Roost in 2007), but keeping that space filled is certainly a challenge. Limited resources prevent us from redesigning the space in a way that might fit better with what we see happening in the industry, queer or not; ditto for relocation – though that is still the plan, a plan becoming ever more important and immediate, it requires a lot of energy and money.
That being said, what we do see as an ongoing and disturbing trend is the loss of queer nightlife. And queer-oriented businesses in general. In 2024 alone, Edmonton has lost Northern Chicken, Glass Bookshop, and the Stud pop-up parties. Every business, likely, had very varied reasons for their closure, but when you combine that with the reports of similar instances happening coast to coast, gay bars dropping like flies on an international scale, it’s certainly concerning for a space like ours. I think often of those earlier bars, where people gathered to talk about the fight for equal rights and social acceptance, never realizing that one of the potential results of acceptance was less need for gay space. How we have tried to work that reality into our business model is to focus on the communities that still need space like ours.
One big trend in the industry, and certainly in the city here, is also the embracing of drag. That’s always been a part of our platform, and something we still rely on heavily. Shows bring people out early, and those extra hours can make the difference to our bottom line. While we don’t have the facilities to join the city’s mad love affair with drag brunches, we certainly like promoting them where possible. I’ve also worked with some larger city festivals more of late, such as KDays and Taste of Edmonton, raising not only queer awareness but our business profile.
Networking and Collaborations:
Have you collaborated with other businesses or organizations within the chamber or beyond? If so, can you share a notable collaboration experience?
Of recent collaborations with other businesses, the most memorable recent one was the 2022 Pride on 104 Community Street Festival. After losing our ability to close 103 due to the LRT construction, we partnered with DOSC and Say Jimmy, two restaurants on 104, for that summer’s fabulous brunch and street party.
We were recently featured alongside Kind Ice Cream and others in an Explore Edmonton LGBTQ travel feature. We also cross promote with Laurel’s on Whyte whenever possible. Matrix Hotel is our go-to venue for out-of-town guests, and we helped set up the new partnership between them and the ISCWR. We’ve also hosted several events sponsored by Freddie. All of these members are queer owner/operated or affirming businesses, as well as members of the Chamber.
We look forward to future opportunities for collaboration. We have hosted many vendor fairs over the years, and always welcome small queer businesses to set up a table on a night at the club, Chamber member or not. We’re just a small business ourselves but we certainly know there’s smaller. A bit of cross-promotion and social media love for the space to get some bodies down dancing and drinking is all we really ask.
Advice for Entrepreneurs:
What advice would you give to other 2SLGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs who are considering starting their own businesses or joining the Chamber of Commerce?
Slow and steady wins the race. The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given about nightlife applies to anything else too. Jim Brown of Buddys etc loved to tell the story how he built up his businesses just one customer at a time. Make one customer’s experience special, and they’ll be a customer for life. It can mean a slow build, but it’s a solid build. And remember that small businesses are like Velma Kelly – you can’t do it alone. Find other business owners who share your values and goals – make those connections – support each other. We’re all in this together. Groups like the Chamber help do that.
Looking Forward:
What are your future plans for Evolution Wonderlounge, and how do you envision the role of 2SLGBTQIA+ businesses in the community evolving over time?
We are not going to be where we are forever. That’s for sure. Relocation is inevitable, and in fact, an absolute necessity to meet the changing needs of our community. How that relocation looks yet is anyone’s guess. Our plan, pre-COVID, was to open a second spot that let us do more early evening stuff, and cater to groups not interested in dancing or shows; that’s still on our radar, but certainly, that’s more challenging now than it was before we lost two years of revenue.
I know there’s a lot of people who feel that we are in a post-gay world, where it matters less if a business identifies itself as queer-owned/operated as long as they’re affirming and accepting. I’m not there yet. I still feel there’s people who want queer businesses, who want their money supporting their community. The loss of queer businesses that has happened recently has really emphasized this for me. Queer space matters now as it always has. But the simple fact of queerness isn’t enough. People expect more from queer space. Sometimes, unrealistically so; I can’t count the times we have been criticized for something other businesses or groups get away with just because we’re queer and they’re not – high standards are fine, but higher standards for one business over another aren’t. We’re all just people; don’t forget this is a three-person run family-owned small business. We aren’t the corporate evil you need to be fighting. That being said, queer businesses do have those higher expectations though, and we need to find ways to meet those. We are still leaders in our community, but that means greater involvement in that community, especially now when we’re under siege.
Personal Connection:
On a personal level, how does your identity as a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community influence your approach to business and leadership?
Simply put, I think I’d rather fail as a queer-oriented business than succeed as one target to the more general public. We fly a pride flag proudly out our front door for a reason; it matters. Even more personally, I love gay bars, and this one particularly. Sometimes, when the going gets really hard, my mental health tells me to quit, that it's not worth it, that if it's not appreciated or wanted, it’s time to move on, but when it works, it works so well. When the space is filled with hundreds of queer and trans folks -and the always valuable allies - of all ages and races and sizes and everywhere you go people are smiling and dancing and singing and connecting, then what we do is worth every minute of doubt or pain or headache. Gay bars are freedom. We are the creators of queer joy for so many people, and I remind myself every day that what we do can actually change and save lives, whether its speaking up for mental health and suicide prevention or collecting signatures on a petition to try undoing anti-trans legislation, we are making a difference, because of and for this community we are so honored to be a part of.
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