Clearing up the Rumors
Story by SUZANNA LEUNG
History of Bellingham’s most colorful bar
The photo of a burly man with a white beard hangs on the wall of Rumors Cabaret’s cocktail lounge. He’s covered in leather, leaning on a motorcycle with a rainbow flag hanging from it. Rian Greer, the current owner of Rumors Cabaret, points to the photo. His eyes soften and a smile tugs at his lips.
“That’s Wayne,” he says, staring at the picture of Rumors’ founder.
Wayne Miller passed away on December 13, 2017, after a five-year battle with cancer. He owned Rumors for 34 years.
Rumors was just a small dive bar on North State Street when it was established in 1984. Before Rumors, it was a bar called the Toyon. Before that it was called The Hut. The Hut and Toyon existed in the ’60s and ’70s, and while they weren’t officially gay bars, they served as a gathering space for the LGBTQ+ community. That’s why Wayne thought it was the perfect spot for Rumors.
Rich Wilson, 48, assistant general manager, started going to Rumors when he was 19. He recalls smoke bombs being thrown into the bar and groups of men waiting to beat up exiting patrons. Many frequenting Rumors back then were still closeted and snuck in and out through the back door.
In November 2017, Rumors opened a cocktail lounge next to the current bar entrance, Miller’s Back Door. It was created as an homage to Wayne and those early days.
“Rumors has definitely tracked along with the history of the gay community as well,” said promotions and logistics manager Brian Spencer, “From hiding and being in the closet to where we are today, being out of the closet, being present.”
Wayne saw an opportunity to expand Rumors in 1997. He saw more people coming out and sought to bridge Bellingham’s LGBTQ+ and straight communities. Wayne moved Rumors to its current location at 1119 Railroad Ave. and almost lost his house due to the cost. Regardless, he believed that Bellingham would accept Rumors and the LGBTQ+ community.
“[Being gay] was becoming more accepted in the community, and Wayne wanted to push for Rumors to be a bar for everyone,” Rian said. “We will always be focused on the queer community, but we are a bar for everyone, and the best way to not be afraid of someone is to actually meet someone.”
Wayne always focused on the LGBTQ+ community. Before others started sponsoring Bellingham Pride, he would cover half the expense using Rumors funds and his own money.
“[Wayne] just really was a stronghold and fixture in the Bellingham gay community for so many,” Brian said. “Kind of just a father figure for so many in the community as well, especially for the people that didn’t have their families.
Wayne remained the owner of Rumors for the last five years of his life, but stepped away from the business to focus on his health. Unfortunately, the general manager left in charge didn’t adhere to Wayne’s attentive management style and the bar suffered. Maintenance wasn’t getting done, employee morale fell and the environment created unwelcoming experiences.
Kayden “Grey” Rinaldi, 23, who is trans, frequented Rumors in those years. They entered the bar one night to see a drink special on the wall named “grape rape.” Grey was offended by this name and confronted the bartender and manager at the time, who brushed off their concerns and half-heartedly changed the name to “grape crape.” Grey’s partner also received degrading comments about her body from the door person at the time, including comments about how revealing her clothes were.
Management now agrees those encounters were extremely offensive.
“My response to that experience would be of course how troubling and how sorry [we are],” Brian said. “Fortunately, Rumors as an institution has evolved its leadership to all new people with better sensibilities.”
Management promises the drink is no longer at Rumors and will never be again. Kelly Pronold, 37, the new general manager, is setting the bar back on track as a safe and welcoming environment.
Another of Grey’s concerns is the amount of straight-identifying individuals who are saturating the space.
“There’s a need for the straight and cis communities to understand that while they can come into queer bars and queer spaces, there’s a need to respect the fact that we don’t have space to gather all over,” Grey said.
Brian also feels regret over the LGBTQ+ community not being its cadre of folks anymore. However, he says the integration of straight individuals into queer spaces will benefit the community in the long run. More interaction between the LGBTQ+ and straight communities will cultivate more understanding.
Grey wants to see more effort from Rumors to support the LGBTQ+ community, particularly through events highlighting the experience of LGBTQ+ individuals. Sebastian Bostwick, 23, who is trans, suggests that Rumors provide gender neutral restrooms so gender-nonconforming individuals can feel comfortable.
Rian said Rumors will be incorporating more inclusive signage for the bathrooms by fall 2018. There is also a single occupancy gender-neutral restroom in Miller’s Back Door.
Moving forward, Rian is seeking more partnerships with local charities and community organizations. Rumors is partnered with Bellingham Pride and recently donated proceeds to the Sean Humphrey House, a nonprofit providing aid for low-income individuals living with HIV or AIDS. He wants to see Rumors continue to grow, just like Wayne wanted.
“It’s just home. It’s home for all of us. I loved Wayne. He was like a dad to me,” Kelly said. “Not having this place, I couldn’t even imagine not having it. It’s just a part of life. It’s work. It’s all work. But it’s fun work.”