ARLINGTON, Texas–Arlington is home to two openly LGBTQ-owned businesses that welcome all with open arms, minds and bellies.
Fool’s Kava House, located at 200 N. Mesquite St. Unit 119 in the heart of downtown, is currently owned by wives Mary Elaine and Ashley Benton. The couple is the first queer-owned and women-owned kava bar in Texas. They serve alternatives to alcohol called kava and kratom, from the Fiji Islands and Indonesia.
“We found a place to unite wellness, community, sobriety and throw in a little bit of inclusion,” Benton said. “I think people are going to know they have a safe place to come to.”
They offer a multitude of strains for the tea-based cocktails, with benefits such as anti- inflammation, increased serotonin, anti-anxiety effects and treating sleep issues, among others. Drinks are served in a traditional coconut shell, along with some great conversation from the kavatenders and a feeling of relaxation.
“In small doses, kratom is used as a stimulant, and in larger doses, it’s used as a relaxer, whereas kava is going to be a relaxer,” Benton said. “As women, we don’t need any more anxiety accelerants.”
The “fool” of Fool’s Kava House is from the Tarot card, which represents “the start of a journey,” whether it be “sobriety” or something else, Benton said.
“People are welcome, we have no judgment,” Benton said. “I’ve just seen so much grace in here just since we’ve been here.”
On Mondays, it’s trivia night at Fool’s. Wednesday nights are bingo, and Thursdays are all you drink Kava for $15. Fool’s is also home to a 6 p.m. support group called “Rooted in Sobriety.”
“It’s open for anyone who is sober, sober-curious or just looking to support a friend or family member that’s on that wellness journey,” Benton said.
The kavatenders are ready and willing to give anyone uneasy about kava their classic spiel to educate, or just provide a welcoming space for fellowship.
1851 Club at 931 W. Division St. is Arlington’s only gay bar. It hosts a variety of events every single night.
From karaoke and stand-up comedy to bingo and drag shows, this bar appeals to all crowds and walks of life. Owner Dalton Haynes didn’t always run this establishment. Back in 2020, the previous owners decided to sell the venue, and the staff banded together to raise the money.
Thus, 1851 Club was born.
Haynes said it was important to him to provide a place for people who might not have a place or know where they can go.
The bar has always held drag, and Haynes never wants that to end, he said. Every Friday and Saturday, the bar hosts drag shows with local drag queens, and some of the performers are Haynes’ friends. With a $10 show fee if you’re under 21, you can watch a spectacular show of multiple queens in central Arlington.
On Mondays, the Claws Out Comedy group brings in emerging comedians to try out their new material on a welcoming crowd. Tuesdays have poker, targeted to the older crowd of LGBTQ indiviudals. First and third Wednesdays feature pool tournaments with a paid prize. Fridays are by far 1851 Club’s busiest nights, so patrons can secure reservations on the bar’s website.
It proves difficult to find resources in Arlington about the LGBTQ-owned businesses the city has to offer. A third gay-owned business declined to comment “given the current political climate,” a source who wished to remain anonymous said.
“For a lot of queer people, it can be hard to be out and proud in the U.S., especially in southern states,” one Arlington local in attendance, Alex Fredrick, said. “They have to hide a huge part of who they are in order to keep themselves, or loved ones, or even their businesses protected.”
There are likely more than two LGBTQ-owned businesses within Arlington city limits, but they refrain from public messaging due to fear of mistreatment or violence.
Regardless, Fool’s Kava House and 1851 Club remain openly accepting to all who walk through their doors.
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