A morning meeting ground for Dublin’s queer community, whether you’re searching for oat milk or just making your way home from a night out, Dame Street Spar is open to meet all the queer needs. Since 2019, when they put user @lusxt’s tweet on posters for Pride month, we’ve been waiting to celebrate their safe space (waiting to celebrate their big gay reveal). Gay Spar has been teasing us with subtweets and Pride merch for years, but finally, we’ve got the coming out story that we’ve all been dreaming of.
i wonder if gay spar knows that it's gay spar
— Danny (@lusxt) March 28, 2018
The queer community in Dublin swarmed social media following the Dame Street Spar’s celebration of Pride this year. Pictures of ‘Gay Spar recognising Gay Spar’ surfaced, putting the past three years of rumours and community gossip to rest: Gay Spar has come out. A place of queer inclusivity, some may argue ‘too inclusive’ when they’re running into their ex after The George closes, Gay Spar has been a pillar in the Dublin LGBTQ+ scene.
@leannewoodfull This has prob been done already sorry xo #thisisnottheland #thisisglendale #gayspar #dublinpride #dublingays #irishgays #dublinlesbians #irishlesbian #thegeorge #street66 #dublinhumour
There’s really no difference between the feeling of seeing the Pride Parade’s “Free Mom Hugs” sign and the feeling of stepping foot inside this iconic Dublin landmark at 3 AM after The George. We’ll be the first to admit, for anyone who’s too scared to, that sometimes you have to force yourself to go to the bar just to ensure you get the authentic 3 AM Spar experience.
@roro_the_terrible They finally acknowledged they’re gay spar #thegeorge #dublin #gayspar #spar #pride🏳️🌈
With the shop as one Twitter user calls it, “becoming sentient”, Dublin’s queer community can now move on to claiming other retail areas of the city. Lesbian Londis, Sissy that Bachelors Walk and You Better Werkman’s anyone?
gay spar… has become sentient pic.twitter.com/nr6XKyU7K5
— dm (@daithidaithi_) June 24, 2022
Even though you might have to fight your way in past the slightly-homophobic pigeons, once you’re in Gay Spar it’s a feeling of community unlike any other in Dublin. A 24-hour deli, a weirdly lit 3 AM entryway, the night shift manager who lives to socialise with the crowd, and now, a self-proclaimed gay-ness to pull everything together. A final shoutout to Dame Street Spar, with a truly exceptional way to conclude Pride month.
Gay spar have finally acknowledged They’re gay spar 🖤 pic.twitter.com/ap2F5VkNUI
— Fionn Mc Cool (@UrNoFionn) June 24, 2022
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