While it was a new chapter for himself and his sexuality, Efinger says there was always something missing. That changed when he moved to the muscle boy and tank top appearance-obsessed LGBTQ+ culture of Los Angeles where he “gymed,” tanned, and plucked to fit in. Living in New York City, he could pop into any dive bar and feel comfortable. It’s also what Efinger needed when he was younger. Instead, he says a conversation was missing - the conversation of “how do we radically love ourselves and love each other, and make this region safer and prouder, and to have queer people and artists living and working here.” It’s not that the existing Syracuse LGBTQ+ bars and resources were doing anything wrong. It was never the goal or the dream to have a queer bar and theater, but it’s what the city needed.” “It was just like the stars aligned,” says Efinger. All four are within a 10-minute drive of the others. Wunderbar, a queer bar and theatre located in downtown Syracuse’s old Redhouse building just across Onondaga Creek from the rest of Armory Square, is the latest LGBTQ+ bar to join the area’s long time establishments - Trexx, Rain Lounge, and Wolf’s Den. As we cross into the third month of pandemic-impairment, Wunderbar is out at least eighteen grand and is beginning to open back up to the public (following Upstate New York’s social distance guidelines, of course). The community donated to the bar’s GoFundMe page to fund groceries for employees as owner Tanner Efinger was home applying for local and federal grants and loans.įor every month the global pandemic forced its doors shut, Wunderbar lost over six thousand dollars in rent and utilities - not including loss of goods and other unexpected expenses. Employees were laid off with the promise of being rehired as soon as possible. Staff had to throw out half-poured wine bottles and perishable goods. Instead of celebrating its first birthday with a party, the bar sold growlers of already tapped beer at the lowest possible price - not to make money, but to avoid waste.
Just a year after opening, Wunderbar temporarily closed its large, glass double doors.