Bed-Stuy Council Member Chi Ossé’s upcoming party plans are set to change: The Rosemont (63 Montrose Ave.), a popular gay dive bar in East Williamsburg, announced their closure on Instagram this Tuesday.

Icons rise and fall so quickly. The Rosemont opened in 2016 as a second project for owner Aaron Pierce’s Trash Bar, replacing the shuttered Room 63. Across the street from Sternberg Park, of which Sniffies says, “This place is popular,” the Rosemont weathered through nearly a decade of disasters and acts of God, including Covid, Brat Summer, and a cameo from Björk.

“There’s just not really anywhere else in Williamsburg, or Brooklyn for that matter, where you can hear your favorite pop girls,” said one former regular.

When taking photos, editor-in-chief Andrew Karpan was asked why he was photographing the exterior, and when he explained why, one man said, “That’s fucking weird,” before going inside, closing the curtains and dropping the metal garage door too.

The Rosemont is part of a rash of closures across the queer barscape. In Bushwick, Rash (941 Willoughby Ave.) closed in March, while East Williamsburg’s Pink Metal (253 Bushwick Ave.) and Club Lambda (1031 Grand St.) closed, too, along with Williamsburg’s Macri Park (462 Union Ave.) and Greenpoint’s Mary’s Bar (134 Kingsland Ave.). These closures came after a tough year for queer bars citywide, as chronicled by Tenz Mag.

While some data hints at a national decline of gay bars, per one 2019 article, gay bars are just as susceptible to present economic pressures faced by all bars and restaurants, as described this year by Matthew Rodriguez in Them.

Another issue could be how queer spaces operate within neighborhoods that are ready to accept queer people. North Brooklyn resident Wyatt said, “Looking at Bushwick, for example, isn’t every bar basically a queer bar? They kind of all mesh together.” In a part of Brooklyn notable for its progressive and queer cultures, the line between straight and queer spaces blurs into what Wyatt called a “sexual mush,” which places financial pressure on bars catering exclusively to queer audiences.

The specific reason for the Rosemont’s closure is unclear. The Rosemont did not respond to a request for comment. Speaking to members of the North Brooklyn queer community, the speculation is varied: issues with liquor licensing, health inspections, finances, or nearby construction.

The first two are untrue or unlikely. Liquor licensing was disproven by a statement from the State Liquor Authority. While the Department of Health didn’t respond to a request for comment, their most recent inspection in August left the Rosemont with yet another A rating.

Moving forward, DJ and promoter Luis Fernando is hosting a GoFundMe to provide financial support to Rosemont staff.