Software Engineer to Open LGBTQ+ Bar in Ann Arbor

A new business is quietly in the works to fill in the blanks for Ann Arbor, where safe spaces for the queer communities are in scarcity. A new LGBTQ+ bar called Uplift plans to open later this summer, taking over the former Millennium Club space at 210 S. First St . This news was first seen on MLive Ann Arbor .

Co-founder Saharsh Hajela and a silent partner have been working diligently on the concept over the past year. “I feel it’s very apparent the void that exists for a full-time dedicated queer bar, and this something Uplift aims to remedy for us,” Hajela said in the MLive coverage.

Uplift, whose name indicates a much-needed uplifting of Ann Arbor’s LGBTQ+ community, will serve beer, wine, seltzers, cocktails, and various non-alcoholic beverages. The space will also host various events, including comedy shows, drag brunches, and dance parties. The concept does not have a kitchen, but the business is partnering with The Circ Bar to provide hot food options.

Hajela is a software engineer by day but has spent the past few years organizing LGBTQ-friendly events at LIVE Nightclub on First Street, which gave him the hospitality and event industry experience necessary to develop Uplift’s concept. The MLive article mentioned the hours will be 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to midnight Sunday. Those eager to follow the opening journey can sign up for Uplift’s newsletter on the bar’s website .

What Now Detroit reached out to Hajela but hadn’t heard back by the time of this coverage.

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