A NEW CHAPTER?
God, we hope so. The last incarnation of Sister’s Edge (circa 1997) sputtered out in a blaze of protests and hurt feelings after – according to a few females who worked at the bar (in letters they wrote to the editor of this here publication back in the day) – “The owner yelled obscenities at us and said he would turn it into a male country bar because we (women) could be replaced,” and “a female employee who resigned ha(d) filed a sexual harassment complaint” against the establishment (see austinchronicle.com/gayplaceblog for links to the complete text). We’re hoping against hope that Sister’s Edge II, at the same location on San Jacinto, earns a better track record. The Cockpit, or CP’s, as it was also known (Lightbulb! Why the hell didn’t they just name the new club the Strap-On?), was host to a few regular, if friendly, women’s nights in its day, and as far as we know, these are, again, some of the same owners. It’s also very encouraging to note that beloved Margie, of many area gay-bar steak-nights fame and most recently producer of Mascara at OCH, is the manager and that a delightful mishmash of local lady/etc. ‘tenders and DJs are in the mix, namely RCC‘s Angel and Bobby and the überenthusiastic Brenda (most recently from Rusty Spurs), who promises to whip up some Pink Pearl concoctions in honor of her new clientele. When I asked for a prognosis, some future clouds and radar on the outlook – of what will be Austin’s first specifically lesbian bar with a chance in hell of surviving since the last Sister’s Edge and that one side of Sidekicks – an anonymous source enthused: “If it’s any consolation, they are booking events past January!” In any event, the Grand Opening Party is this Saturday, amid a slew of queer events going on that night, so there is no excuse to not at least check it out. Owners may have the dominant effect on what is most remembered about a club, but in the end, it is what we make it. Let’s make this a good one. (See Saturday.)
This article appears in November 13 • 2009.