Therapy, Gay Bar Favored By 'Drag Race' Contestants, To Close

HELL'S KITCHEN, NY — The Hell's Kitchen gay bar Therapy — a favorite venue among contestants on "RuPaul's Drag Race" — will not reopen after shutting down in March in accordance with the state's coronavirus restrictions, the bar's owner announced on social media.

Therapy co-owner Tom Johnson announced the closing on the bar's Facebook page Monday: "It’s with tears in our eyes that we have to admit it is highly unlikely that Therapy will ever reopen. Everyone of YOU who has ever worked here, performed here, partied here... We love you. And though we cannot be together today, always know you are Therapy’s family."

Therapy owners were unable to secure a lease extension amid the coronavirus pandemic, Johnson told Eater New York. Business owners turned over their keys to the space in April, according to the report. Therapy opened on West 52nd Street between Ninth and Eighth avenues in 2003.

Over the years, Therapy hosted a number of contestants that later appeared on the popular competition show "RuPaul's Drag Race." Performers who graced both Therapy's stage and the show include Sahara Davenport, season six winner Bianca Del Rio and season eight winner Bob the Drag Queen.

Therapy opted not to reopen for outdoor dining or to-go drinks after closing in March. Johnson told Eater that owners estimated the to-go drinks would only account for 30 to 40 percent of the bar's usual business, making it unfeasible to pay the staff required for the service. Many of Therapy's customers are tourists coming into the city for Broadway shows, owners told the publication.

Owners also opted not to apply for a loan through the federal government's Paycheck Protection Program, according to the report.