The Comeback Seattle

The Comeback Seattle was a bar and nightclub on 1st Avenue in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood which catered to the LGBT community.[1][2] Writers for The Stranger described The Comeback as a gay bar, a queer sports bar, and a "gay-sports-dance bar ... that evolved out of" the gay bar R's Place, which had operated on Capitol Hill.[3][4] The Comeback had go-go dancers, weekend dance parties, and a weekly drag show called "Lashes", featuring local and touring performers. A taco truck often operated outside.[5]

The space was approximately 9,000 square feet and had a seating capacity of 150 to 200 people. According to Matt Baume of The Stranger, "Modular walls [allowed] the space to accommodate different needs on different nights, and [there was] a gaming area with pool tables and dartboards near gender-neutral restrooms."[6] The newspaper's Renee Raketty noted the large open space with an "impressive stage and long bar". She said the venue was ADA-compliant, "with all the public areas on the same floor", and said the space had "an assortment of equally impressive private areas" including a large prep kitchen, a walk-in refrigerator, and an office "overlooking everything".[2]

The bar's exterior, 2022

Co-owners Floyd Lovelady and John Fish[7] opened The Comeback in early 2022,[4][8] in a building which had housed the bar, event rental space, and nightclub Eden Seattle. Previously, Lovelady was the general manager of the gay bar R Place.[9] In 2021, Matt Baume of The Stranger said "Lovelady's presence makes The Comeback, at least in part, R Place's spiritual successor."[6] Lovelady told Seattle Gay News:

The building was a shell. We took the soul of R Place and are plugging it into this new space. We bought everything from inside R Place to give people that familiarity, and of course we're bringing back the shows and the music and the dynamic performers that put R Place and Seattle on the map, as far as a destination LGBTQIA establishment.[2]

The Comeback was Lovelady's first bar to own.[6] Following the R Place's closure, he and Fish (a former patron) formed The Comeback Seattle LLC, "took over" R Place's social media accounts, and became co-managing partners of The Comeback.[2][10] The SoDo location, approximately twice as large as R Place,[11] was proposed by the SoDo Business Improvement Association; Lovelady found SoDo appealing because of its relatively lower cost, central location, nearby parking availability, and limited noise restrictions.[7] R Place's head security host was hired to work at The Comeback.[2]

The bar's interior, 2022

The Comeback's redesign was led by Andrew "Ace" Grant Houston[12] of House Cosmopolitan. Houston told Seattle Gay News, "I hope the site becomes a destination for the LGBTQ community to gather — those from all slices of life under the umbrella — and celebrate ourselves and our community in many different ways. This project is important to me because it represents the continuation of local Capitol Hill history in spirit as well as a new chapter for what part or parts of Seattle have created their own safe spaces for LGBTQ Seattleites."[2] The bar raised funds for the renovation via Indiegogo.[2]

In November 2021, Eater Seattle said The Comeback was planning to open in December.[13] As of December, the business was hiring bar-backs, bartenders, hosts, servers, and other positions,[6] and aimed to host a grand opening on February 11.[14] In January 2022, The Comeback held a "quiet launch" and moved the grand opening to mid February (the slight delay was caused by supply chain issues on doors).[7] Silky Nutmeg Ganache headlined "Lashes" in February.[8] Other events the bar hosted in 2022 included a ten-week drag competition called "So You Think You Can Drag",[3] an after party for a bar crawl held in conjunction with Pride Month,[15] and RuPaul's Drag Race viewing parties.[16]

The Comeback closed on April 30, 2023.[17] A post to social media announcing the closure said:

What a blast we have had! You have been with us since the beginning, first at R Place, and then followed us to the Comeback. We survived a pandemic and came out stronger! Now, as we look back at how we helped shape a vibrant community in Seattle, we realize that it is time for us to step aside and let the new generation of DJs, entertainers, and fans continue making Seattle's LGBTQIA+ community the best it can be. A sunset of the Comeback is only the prelude to brighter times to come. We look forward to seeing what is in store for Seattle. Thank you for all your support over the years.[1]

The Comeback had a "blowout" liquor sale.[4] The "Lashes" series was moved to Unicorn.[1]

• Media related to The Comeback Seattle at Wikimedia Commons