SALT LAKE CITY — A place that helped be a home for the LGBTQ community, especially around the holidays, has closed its doors.
Their owners hosted their final Thanksgiving dinner as the final installment for an annual tradition since they opened for business before closing for good.
"In a world where safe spaces for LGBTQ people can still be rare, Club Verse offered an environment where people could let their guard down and simply enjoy life,” said former patron Emily Walker.
Repp and his partner, Riley Richter, opened Club Verse together. They have hosted events to support inclusion in the past and built on that idea.
"It is heart-shattering to have to put the community second when for 12 years, we’ve put the community first,” said Micheal Repp, co-owner of Club Verse. "The vision behind Club Verse was to be more than just a hangout. It was meant to be a place where you found your extended family and friends."
In August, Richter had a cardiac arrest, which led to multiple health and financial issues.
"We came to the decision together over a lot of tears, a little bit of anger, little bit of frustration,” said Repp. That decision was to close the club.
"It was more than just a venue, or a club, it was home for a lot of people, a safe haven,” said Walker.
For Thanksgiving and Christmas, Repp and Richter hosted dinners for those who couldn’t go back home.
"The holidays are very, very hard time for the LGBTQ community for obvious reasons, there’s a lot of alienation with families,” said Walker.
"It’s really, really hard to accept that we won’t be here this year, what it meant to for us is that it was truly saving lives,” added Repp.
The couple moved to Colorado for Richter’s treatment. Repp said another reason they decided to close was so he could focus solely on Richter’s treatment, and get the care they need in that area.
Their move left behind a hole in the community for those who stood by them.
"They leave behind a legacy of love, inclusion, empowerment,” said Walker.
