Marsha’s, Philly’s first women’s sports bar, opens next week

Chivonn Anderson says she was first inspired to open a women s sports bar back in when she couldn t get a bartender to change the channel She had returned to Philly from a trip to Europe where she and her friends had caught selected of the Women s World Cup games happening in France that summer On the day of the final they went to a sports bar on South Street she wouldn t say which one and solicited the bartender to put on the match He refused because a Phillies regular season challenge against the Mets was already on After several arguing the bartender eventually switched to the final More people came in till the bar was packed with a crowd watching the United States women s national crew defeat the Netherlands to defend their title Anderson was still irked though It blew my mind that I had to argue with the bartender in a sports bar to put the Women s World Cup on she revealed I m just like This isn t right And that just planted the seed that we need to have a space where women that have dedicated their lives to these sports have a spot where they can truly be honored and highlighted with them being on these televisions and having all these amazing people that encouragement them come and watch them do what they love and what they ve dedicated their lives to Chivonn Anderson standing outside Marsha s at South Street Harry Smith Courtesy of Marsha s On Friday September Anderson s seed will become a reality with the grand opening of Marsha s Philly s first-ever women s sports bar Serendipitously the bar is on South Street where Woolly Mammoth used to be Anderson commented that when she and her business partner Trisha Eichelberger first heard that the space on South St was going up for sale in late building liquor license and all other assets she saw it as a no-brainer Anderson is a licensed real estate agent who also co-owned the Redcrest Kitchen in Queen Village which closed its doors in June She commented her industry experience and previous failures have taught her what was needed to succeed with this project It s my second time around and I understand that the only way you can truly be profitable and create something that s going to last is if you own the bricks and you own the liquor license she explained The bar is named after LGBTQ activist Marsha P Johnson Anderson stated that she wouldn t be where she is now a queer woman of color who came out at age if it weren t for the efforts of Johnson and others involved in the Stonewall uprising I just want to give her the praise that she deserves and hopefully her vigor out in the universe can feel what we re doing Anderson explained While much of the layout from Wooly Mammoth is still in place Anderson says that the interior has been redesigned with touches that make Marsha s distinct Bleachers from an old stadium have been brought in along with vintage-style sports apparel hanging up and a portrait of Marsha herself over the bar More will come with time like plans to gather trading cards submitted by people from their time in youth and recreational leagues and incorporate them into the bar and tabletops Chivonn Anderson behind the bar at Marsha s South Street Harry Smith Courtesy of Marsha s Anderson disclosed that while the bar primarily highlights sports from women and the queer society she wants the space to feel inclusive for all sports fans I want people to feel like they re coming into someone s home that they feel secure they feel seen they feel safe and they can sit there and they can watch women s sports and also local Philly sports and be around people that will hopefully eventually become family she reported The future plans with the Marsha s brand is to have multiple locations and eventually franchise But first it s about building a welcoming space for women s sports and the LGBTQ group Chosen of that effort will also involve highlighting those communities outside the walls of the bar Anderson says the bar plans to reach out to local teams at all levels to try and figure out how to help them fundraise through events and get their games on the bar s screens On the professional level Philly at this moment has the Philadelphia Surge a women and gender-expansive pro ultimate frisbee association which completed its third season in the Premier Ultimate League this year The WNBA revealed in June that Philly will get an expansion club in co-owned by the Sixers and Comcast Spectacor Anderson has also reached out to Watch Party PHL the group founded by firefighter Jen Leary a former National Women s Football Association member that s fundraising to open its own women s sports bar to offer endorsement in their efforts to find a home in Center City next year There s room in this town for more than one women s sports bar and Anderson believes the more the merrier One of the flags up at Marsha s South Street The owner s goal for visitors They feel settled they feel seen they feel safe Harry Smith Courtesy of Marsha s We can t have competition we ve got to aid each other she disclosed Yes we re in a competitive field of where we want people to go but I feel like Jen has a different idea of what she wants to do for her space than what we re trying to do with our space And in this region it s not about competition it s about collaborating and supporting each other Owning a space on South Street also means a lot to Anderson because it was a space that helped shape her into the person she is in the current era She described this project as a way she can give back to the area s future for the better South Street has gone through a lot of waves she explained Having the opportunity to buy a space on South Street meant that we could be a part of creating history in Philly by not only opening the first women s sports bar but helping to revitalize South Street and bring her into a new existence like a new evolution of South Street Marsha s hours for its opening weekend will be Friday p m kicking things off with a ribbon cutting to midnight Saturday from noon to midnight and Sunday from noon to p m The post Marsha s Philly s first women s sports bar opens next week appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY