Halifax LGBTQ2S bar ‘Rumours’ at risk of closing due to rising costs

The popular Halifax LGBTQ2S bar, Rumours Cabaret, is facing the threat of closure due to mounting financial challenges. Gerald McCowan and Jose Chiu, the bar's owners, are urging the public for assistance to prevent the establishment from shutting down permanently. The couple has less than two months to secure a new two-year lease and ensure the business remains financially stable.

The new lease, commencing in November, increases monthly costs by approximately $6,000, totaling $18,000 before taxes. This does not account for additional expenses such as security, DJs, payroll, garbage disposal, repairs, and other operational costs. The owners have launched a crowdfunding campaign via GoFundMe, but they had hoped to avoid this decision, as their primary goal is to keep the doors open for the community.

Rumours was initially founded in 2024, funded by McCowan's settlement from Veterans Affairs Canada. However, the bar's revival is a continuation of its history in Halifax, having previously operated on Gottingen Street in the 1990s. McCowan and Chiu emphasize the importance of maintaining the space, citing the closure of ARIS Bar and Nightclub in Moncton as another example of a queer-friendly establishment disappearing.

Teri Appleby, owner of Stardust Bar and Kitchen, another LGBTQ2S venue in Halifax, stresses the significance of such spaces for community, protest, and joy.

The Downtown Halifax Business Commission has expressed its support for Rumours, acknowledging the name's long-standing presence in the LGBTQ+ community. They hope to see the bar continue to thrive in Downtown Halifax for years to come. Despite the crowdfunding campaign raising over $4,000 in less than 24 hours, McCowan warns that the business may face the same fate as the Rumours bar from the 1990s if the fundraising goal is not met.

He predicts that relocating the business to a new location would be prohibitively expensive, potentially exceeding tens of thousands of dollars. McCowan confirms that the ultimate outcome will be the closure of Rumours, marking a second time it would be shut down.