Shaun Mykals and Brandon Burke have done it again.
The nightlife entrepreneurial duo who brought the nation Thursday Bliss: An Open Mic Experience opened Thurst Lounge on Dec. 2, the only Black-owned LGBTQ+ lounge in the city of Washington, D.C.
Thurst Lounge is also Washington, D.C.’s first Black-owned LGBTQ+ nightlife establishment operating since The Bachelor’s Mill closed in 2021. Shortly before the opening of the lounge, Mykals and Burke spoke to rolling out.
Why do members of the LGBTQ+ community need to have a nightlife space?
Shaun Mykals: I think Black culture, not just the Black gay culture, but our culture in general, we are the trendsetters.
Our culture is used so much to get attention. We get used from advertisers to commercials and our lingo, all of that stuff is used, and it’s never owned by us, but it’s used.
I try not to focus on the negative aspects of it, but I think because you notice how people gravitate towards [Black culture], it’s an excellent opportunity for us to own our own thing, and then to use it for our benefit and to lift our community. That’s why it is important, that’s why it must be Black-owned because we’re able to benefit from the use of our culture, our music, our style, all of those things that go into making us unique. Those things we’re able to capitalize on, and then to pour it back into our community.
Brandon Burke: There are other spaces that we can, of course, go to and patronize and things, but they don’t center our experience. For us, it is either relegated to one night a week, or it is a certain party or a certain thing or something like that.
That money, again, goes out of our community. If we’re able to keep it in and reinvest in ourselves, it shows people that we can provide generational wealth, and help our community thrive in a way that you don’t always see or get to have. And I think that being able to do that is also one of our major goals and one of our reasons why we wanted to do this.
With the holiday season upon us, what are three tips you have for responsible drinking and partying?
BB: One I would say is Uber if you know you’re going to be out and drinking a lot.
Rideshare is your friend. Have a designated driver if you don’t want to rideshare, I think that’s important.
Eat. That helps, so you’re not drinking on an empty stomach.
SM: For the last one, I would say go out with friends and people you trust. I think that’s very important to make sure that you are surrounded by people who have your best interest at heart and will look out for you when you can’t look out for yourself.
Just just be mindful of who you’re going out with.
