Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Bar owned by Lauren Boebert’s ‘Beetlejuice’ date inundated with bad reviews

‘Owners are hypocrites’ who will ‘host drag shows while he dates a bigot, who rallies against the people he caters to,’ social media user says

Gustaf Kilander
Washington, DC
Tuesday 19 September 2023 06:31 EDT
Comments
Related video: Moment Lauren Boebert removed from Denver theatre production of Beetlejuice

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The bar co-owned by the man who went to a Beetlejuice stage performance in Denver with Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert has been inundated with bad reviews after the bar owner was caught on surveillance footage getting intimate with the far-right Republican during the show.

Quinn Gallagher, 46, has co-owned the Hooch Craft Cocktail Bar since 2022, according to the New York Post.

The bar has been the venue for a number of gay-friendly events, with the co-owner now being labelled a hypocrite for dating Ms Boebert, a member known for her social conservatism and anti-drag stances.

One of the events hosted at the cocktail bar was the “Winter Wonderland Burlesque and Drag Show”.

“Apparently whatever core values co-owner Quinn Gallagher claims to possess were thrown out the window when he met Trailer Trash Queen Lauren Boebert,” one Facebook user wrote.

“Gotta love a place that will take your money, but hang out with bigots who deem you worthless and vote against your very business existing,” another said. “Save your money, skip this bar.”

Facebook user Dan Snyder wrote that the “owners are hypocrites” who will “host drag shows while he dates a bigot, who rallies against the people he caters to”.

The Independent has attempted to reach the owners of Hooch Craft Cocktail Bar for comment.

The relationship between Mr Gallagher and Ms Boebert became known last week after they were seen on surveillance footage apparently vaping, singing, and groping each other at the Beetlejuice musical performance in Denver. They were eventually booted from the theatre before the end of the show.

Ms Boebert gave the other attendees the finger before leaving the venue, The Post noted. She said she would report her removal from the theatre, saying “do you know who I am?”

She later apologised for her behaviour on Friday, saying in a statement that she had recently split up with her husband of 18 years.

“There’s no perfect blueprint for going through a public and difficult divorce, which over the past few months has made for a challenging personal time for me and my entire family. I’ve tried to handle it with strength and grace as best I can, but I simply fell short of my values on Sunday,” Ms Boebert said in a statement. “That’s unacceptable, and I’m sorry.”

Her campaign initially claimed that Ms Boebert hadn’t vaped in the theatre, something she later admitted.

“Whether it was the excitement of seeing a much-anticipated production or the natural anxiety of being in a new environment, I genuinely did not recall vaping that evening when I discussed the night’s events with my campaign team while confirming my enthusiasm for the musical,” she said.

Ms Boebert is running for re-election in the 3rd District in Colorado in 2024 and she’s expected to face the same challenger that she beat by just 546 votes in 2022 – Democrat Adam Frisch.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in