With aspirations to redefine a former bourbon and cigar lounge, JJ Pope is transforming the space into a unique hub for women’s sports enthusiasts and the lesbian community. Upon acquiring the site in early June, Pope immediately recognized the need to revamp the interior aesthetics.
“Everything in here is going to get painted,” she remarked, while deciding to maintain the black ceiling and tiles.
Pope, the visionary behind Q-Hall, is experimenting with hues like Dusty Violet and Pink Chantilly. This new venue is set to become both a women’s sports bar and a gathering place for lesbians, a vision inspired by her visit to The Sports Bra in Portland—a pioneering establishment exclusively showcasing women’s sports.
Q-Hall aims to bring a vibrant mix of women’s athletics and queer culture to Asheville, offering a dedicated space for these communities. This initiative is reminiscent of The Sports Bra, which, after its 2022 debut, has announced expansions to cities like Boston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, and St. Louis. During her visit to The Sports Bra, Pope was captivated by its concept and felt a similar venue was needed in Asheville.
“I was like, ‘Asheville needs this,’” Pope stated. “We don’t have a lesbian bar. We certainly don’t have a women’s sports bar. And I think that the intersectionality of those two things just, you know, they go together.”
In Asheville, while there are several inclusive spaces, there is a scarcity of venues specifically dedicated to lesbian culture. Reflecting on the closure of Club Hairspray in the early 2000s, Pope emphasized the need for more explicit spaces.
“There are so many places nowadays — which is great — that are LGBTQ-inclusive, friendly spaces,” she said. “But for me, this is an LGBTQ space that is ally-inclusive.”
The timing of Q-Hall’s opening coincides with the growing audience and revenue in women’s sports, projected to reach at least $3 billion globally by 2026, according to Deloitte. Yet, traditional sports bars often prioritize men’s games, leaving women’s sports underrepresented.
“Generally you’re kind of scrounging at a typical sports bar,” Pope explained, noting the challenges of finding women’s games prominently displayed.
At Q-Hall, this will not be the case. “Women’s sports is blowing up,” Pope asserted. The venue will consistently feature women’s games on all screens, eliminating the need to switch to men’s sports.
Visitors will be greeted by an atmosphere rich with women’s sports memorabilia, including jerseys, trophies, and posters from local teams such as the Asheville City Soccer Club. Personal touches include the display of her daughter’s first basketball jersey.
“She’s getting into sports,” Pope shared, pointing to the jersey labeled number 15. Pope is also collecting jerseys from other young athletes to inspire the next generation by showcasing them alongside icons like Billie Jean King.
