On Saturday, January 17, Gossip, Uniontown’s only LGBTQ+ bar, turned the lights down one final time.
The closure marks the end of a short but powerful chapter for the beloved nightlife venue, which opened in October 2024 in the same location as its predecessor, Rumors. Gossip quickly became a vital hub in Fayette County, offering both entertainment and a sense of safety, belonging, and joy to LGBTQ+ residents and allies in southwestern Pennsylvania.
In a heartfelt announcement posted to Facebook earlier in the week, the bar’s owners wrote, “Gossip was never just a bar. It was a heartbeat. A refuge. A place where you could walk in as you were and feel, even for a few hours, like you belonged.”
Gossip was co-owned by Ryan Marshall, a longtime patron of Rumors, who took over the space alongside his business partner and close friend, Kyle Norman, in August 2024. Marshall, who identifies as gay, and Norman, who identifies as straight, both grew up in the area and brought a community-first approach to running the bar. In a 2025 interview, Marshall described Gossip as “the only [LGBTQ+] bar between Charleston, West Virginia, and Pittsburgh,” adding that some patrons would drive hours to attend events.
Over the past year, Gossip became known for its themed nights like Taco Tuesdays and Karaoke Thursdays, as well as drag performances, community fundraisers, and a revamped VIP lounge. Regular performers such as local drag diva Nicole St. George praised the bar’s unique energy and dedication. “I’ve been involved with every other iteration of the club for the last 20 years. The current one is unique,” St. George said in 2025. “So many wonderful things to offer the community.”
But despite community support, the financial pressures of running a queer nightlife venue proved overwhelming.
“The reality is simple and brutal: bills and costs are too high, the economy is down, and we can’t sustain the bar anymore,” the owners wrote in their closing announcement. They cited rising costs for utilities, staffing, goods, and insurance, alongside reduced spending across the board. “We have poured everything we have into keeping Gossip alive. Not just money but time, energy, love, sweat, stress, and hope.”
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The announcement made clear that the decision wasn’t taken lightly, and that the owners were determined to close on a high note. Saturday night’s final celebration invited past and present patrons to return for “one last hug. One last song. One last drink raised to the people who made this place real.”
The closure reflects a broader trend impacting LGBTQ+ spaces across the country, particularly in rural areas, where economic strain, political pressure, and shrinking populations have made it harder to sustain queer-owned businesses.
Still, the owners held onto hope for the future. “We hope one day we can come back. Maybe in a new form. Maybe in a new space. Maybe when the world feels a little less heavy and the math starts to make sense again.”
Whether Gossip returns or not, its legacy as a sanctuary and celebration space for Uniontown’s queer community is secure. As the final post read: “You made this place more than four walls and a liquor license. You made it real.”