On July 17th members of the LGBT community, and their allies, came out to celebrate the Grand Re-Opening of the LGBT Center of St. Louis at 4337 Manchester. The Sunday soiree was an overwhelming success: drawing nearly 500 attendees throughout the day! This massive outpouring of support by (and for) the community was an exciting indication of what the future shall surely hold for the Center.
This is the third incarnation of the LGBT Center of St. Louis—and the progenitors of this organization have learned much from their previous endeavors. As they say, “The third time is the charm,” and this rendition of the Center is definitely charming. 4337 Manchester is not a slicked down, stoic, and sterile office space. Nor is it some beige and navy blue corporate sitting room. The new LGBT Center is set up in a refurbished, and re-purposed, home which lies in the heart of the Grove. The walls are painted with deep, warm, and earthy tones which imbue a solid and welcoming cohesion to each room in the house. Vivid reddish orange rooms glow gaily alongside soothing rooms of hardy forest green. The heavy wooden trim boards, sturdy hard-wood floors, and the over-all rich color pallet work together to create a stable, sincere and warmhearted environment. Elegantly framed photographs and posters selected from the St. Louis LGBT History Project hang all throughout the home to further enrich the experience of visitors.
The main room culminates at one end with a modest stage for performers of any sort. The floor space of this room contains homey leather couches and seats, which can be moved aside to accommodate large crowds during packed shows. This comfortable space will surely facilitate many intimate and enchanting performances by members of our community.
The upstairs rooms contain an expansive resource library of books, movies, recordings, and magazines which relate to LGBT issues, culture, and history. Visitors are encouraged curl up with a cup of coffee and read in any of the cozy nooks and crannies which permeate the house. A handful of these upstairs rooms also house computer stations, where one can surf the web, watch movies or listen to recordings from the library. One of these rooms is a child-friendly space, where parents can utilize the computer station, for work or leisure, while their youngsters play with blocks and toys.
The Center is now open 5 days a week (Wednesday thru Sunday 9a.m. til 9p.m.), and is staffed with caring volunteers from the community who are always willing to offer conversation, advice or help. The volunteers at the Center can also serve as a referral service: helping those in need get in touch with qualified professionals when the circumstances are dire.
The location, the ambiance, the voluminous resources, and the strong mission of all the dedicated individuals who are involved with the LGBT Center of St. Louis will without a doubt ensure its success. The Center will inevitably stand the test of time, and become a cornerstone of our community. I myself am very excited to spend time casually reading, relaxing, and meeting interesting people (and subsequently challenging them to Chess matches) in the new LGBT Center of St. Louis.
Visit their website: http://www.lgbtcenterstl.org
And like them on facebook!: http://www.facebook.com/lgbtcenterstl
BY: DERICK ALLISON
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