LGBTQ+, women’s sports bar coming to South Street

South Street was always a place that brought Chivonn Anderson comfort and a sense of belonging. 

Now, the Philadelphia native will open a sports bar in that same neighborhood with the same intentions.

By the end of the summer Anderson intends to open Marsha’s at 430 South St. The bar will be recognized as the city’s fist-ever queer women’s sports bar and venue. Anderson’s goal is to make Marsha’s a vibrant community hub where the LGBTQ+ community, women and all sports fans can come together in a welcoming, inclusive space to celebrate sports and connection.

“South Street was the only place I ever felt comfortable growing up,” said Anderson, who came out at 15 and spent her teenage years on South Street. “Creating Marsha’s on the corner of South Street and Passyunk Ave. feels like a full-circle moment.”

The bar’s name is a tribute to Marsha P. Johnson, the iconic black transgender activist who was a prominent figure in the Stonewall Uprising of 1969 and was a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ rights. 

Anderson has been receiving her own accolades. Last year, she was honored at the Philadelphia LGBTQ+ Hall of Fame Awards with the Best Small Business Leader Award for her work as Director of Development at Redcrest Kitchen, a testament to her leadership and vision in building inclusive spaces in Philadelphia.

Anderson is dedicating her newly purchased space to help the LGBTQ+ community enjoy an inclusive safe haven.

“It’s about building the kind of bar everyone feels welcome stepping foot in,” she said.

Programming at Marsha’s will reflect the bar’s commitment to inclusivity and representation. Women’s sports will take center stage on the TVs, with all Philadelphia sports teams also featured. Other TVs will be dedicated to queer film and television, ensuring that queer stories remain visible and celebrated in the space. 

The full food and drink menu will be announced later this summer.