Denver's The Pearl Lesbian Bar Abruptly Closes After Fundraising Controversy

Co-owner says they were blindsided by closure announcement, as staff revolt over mismanagement and lack of accountability

Apr. 14, 2026 at 9:27pm

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a shattered glass or ceramic object placed on a clean, monochromatic background, conceptually representing the collapse of The Pearl lesbian bar in Denver.The abrupt closure of Denver's LGBTQ+ community hub The Pearl reflects the fragility of mission-driven businesses in the face of financial pressures and internal discord.Denver Today

The Pearl, a lesbian bar and community space in Denver, has filed articles of dissolution and will close immediately, just days after launching a successful $80,000 GoFundMe campaign to keep the business afloat. The closure announcement has sparked a messy public dispute between co-owners and staff, with allegations of mismanagement, lack of accountability, and mistreatment of the LGBTQ+ community.

Why it matters

The Pearl was one of the few dedicated spaces for queer women in Denver, making its sudden closure a significant loss for the local LGBTQ+ community. The controversy surrounding the closure also highlights the challenges that small, mission-driven businesses can face in navigating financial pressures and internal tensions.

The details

Co-owner and founder Dom Garcia, who uses they/them pronouns, said they were blindsided by the closure announcement made by other co-owners on Saturday. Garcia claimed they own 37.5% of the business and were not consulted about the decision. The announcement came shortly after a successful GoFundMe campaign raised $80,000 to keep the bar open. However, staff members have accused the owners of mismanagement and lack of accountability, and have refused to accept the crowdfunded money, urging donors to report the campaign as fraudulent.

  • On Saturday, The Pearl announced it would close at the end of April.
  • Shortly after, Garcia started a GoFundMe campaign in an attempt to keep the business afloat until Pride celebrations in June.
  • On Tuesday, Garcia reversed course and said The Pearl would close its doors effective immediately.
  • The Pearl has now filed articles of dissolution with the state, marking the end of the business.

The players

Dom Garcia

Co-owner and founder of The Pearl, who uses they/them pronouns. Garcia said they were blindsided by the closure announcement and did not approve it, as they own 37.5% of the business.

Ashlee Cassity

Original co-founder of The Pearl, who was accused of being involved with an anti-LGBTQ church in Longmont. Cassity denounced the church's views and said she is no longer a member.

Jonathan Mora

New co-owner of The Pearl, who did not respond to Denverite's calls or text messages.

Christy Rivera

New co-owner of The Pearl, who declined to comment as "everyone is trying to navigate next steps."

The Pearl staff

Four shift leads posted a letter on Instagram refusing to take money from the GoFundMe campaign and urging people to report it as fraudulent, citing a lack of trust, accountability, and mismanagement of finances.

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What they’re saying

“The Pearl is officially closed. We will not operate another day.”

— Dom Garcia, Co-owner and founder

“It is not fair to our staff nor is it fair to anyone who donated the money, and it is especially not fair to anyone in the community in need of mutual aid.”

— The Pearl staff, Shift leads

“It's not what I had envisioned when I opened the space. I have had multiple people tell me that my own staff has mistreated members of our community, trans men saying that they're not queer enough, they're not lesbian enough, they're not part of the community, that they aren't welcome in the space.”

— Dom Garcia, Co-owner and founder

What’s next

Garcia said there's no way for the business to reopen legally, as it has filed articles of dissolution with the state.

The takeaway

The closure of The Pearl, a rare dedicated space for queer women in Denver, highlights the challenges that small, mission-driven businesses can face in maintaining financial stability and internal cohesion. The messy public dispute between the co-owners and staff over mismanagement and lack of accountability serves as a cautionary tale for other community-focused businesses.