Bryer Haywood, Contributing Writer
The City of Richmond closed Papi’s, one of its few LGBTQ+ night clubs, in 2024 due to multiple health and safety violations. But some community members say the bar’s closure was unwarranted and are pushing to reopen it.
City officials cited overcrowding, unsafe structures, improper food storage and broken fire alarms among the reasons for shutting Papi’s down. The club was also operating without a nightclub permit.
Papi’s owner Adrienne Londoño said she was unaware she had to apply for a nightclub permit before opening the establishment.
After correcting the violations, Papi’s was allowed to reopen temporarily in January as a restaurant but not a nightclub — meaning it could offer food and drinks but not after midnight.
Later that month, city officials returned to Papi’s and shut it down again due to more violations, including nightclub activities after midnight, overcrowding, and broken exit signs according to The Richmonder.
The original building occupancy limit was 57 — Londoño later applied to raise the occupancy limit to 214 and the city accepted her application in May.
The health inspector also noted a sink for handwashing had a kitchen towel rather than disposable hand towels or an air dryer.
The Planning Commission, the city agency responsible for the “orderly development of the city,” voted in favor of granting Papi’s a nightclub permit that would be valid for 18 months despite the bar not having an ABC license. Now, City Council will vote in November to decide whether to issue the permit or not.
In July, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority revoked Papi’s license to sell alcohol. The Virginia ABC requires that 45% of a restaurant’s annual gross sales come from food and non-alcoholic beverages, and no more than 55% of gross sales can come from alcoholic beverages, excluding beer and wine.
It is illegal in Virginia for any establishment to sell alcohol without also selling food. Some restaurant owners believe this law is outdated and have pushed for it to be repealed or amended.
Over 80% of Papi’s sales came from alcohol during its first two years open, according to Londoño, who said they are unable to reapply for an ABC license until 2026.
Papi’s is located in the Shockoe Slip district in Richmond. Londoño and her husband own three other businesses in the Shockoe area called La Bodega, Mamacita’s Sports Cantina and Queens Comfort Latin Kitchen.
Some Shockoe business owners are opposed to Papi’s reopening. The developers that make up the Shockoe Partnership sent letters to Londoño saying they think Papi’s should not be given a nightclub permit due to the previous violations.
‘It’s devastating to not have a space like Papi’s anymore’
Many in the Richmond community were saddened to hear about the closure of Papi’s, as the club had become a safe space for the queer community and people of color alike. Lodoño said people of all ethnicities frequented the establishment.
“Whether it was the show or the DJ afterwards, you knew the night was gonna be good there,” said Melanin Monroe, a drag performer and former event host at Papi’s. “We are already limited in the amount of places open specifically for our community so losing one is very concerning for me, especially in today’s political climate.”
Another performer, Jasmen Clitopatra, said the first raid of the club was a traumatizing experience, as it was during one of their performances.
“It’s devastating to not have a space like Papi’s anymore,” Clitopatra said.
Papi’s employees were concerned about their financial security after the club closed, and there was a lot of initial uncertainty about the reasons for the closure, Clitopatra said.
Other bars such as Babe’s of Carytown and Godfrey’s regularly host drag events. While other bars may feature the same kinds of events or atmospheres, Papi’s is one of few Miami-style bars in Richmond, according to OutRVA.
“The atmosphere at Papi’s was different from other queer clubs,” said Lavender Menace, a drag performer and winner of the Mx. Papi’s title, as well as Mx. Virginia Pride 2025.
Menace noted that with the closure of Papi’s, fewer people are going out in general.
“The crowd that went to Papi’s isn’t going to the other spaces,” Menace said.
Londoño said she had difficulty selling food at Papi’s, but is willing to expand the food menu so that she could meet the 45% requirement.
Londoño said she opened Papi’s in 2022 with the intention of bringing a piece of Miami to Richmond and creating a safe space for queer people and people of color. People celebrated various life milestones like birthdays at the club. Some people met their spouses at Papi’s.
“Everything I wanted to achieve with Papi’s, I achieved,” Lodoño said.