If you attended the Tampa Pride parade back in March, you may have heard that a new bar was coming to town. Less than two weeks later, Jacqueline McRae, Rick Hill, and their newly hired staff welcomed friends and patrons to Cristoph’s, located at 2606 N. Armenia Avenue in the old West Tampa area.
For several years Jacqueline had wanted to open a bar that catered to the LGBT community, and when the opportunity arose, she and Rick jumped on it. They had a simple vision: not only to bring a new LGBT establishment to the area but to bring back a concept that the Tampa area had been missing for quite some time.
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Cristoph’s has been up and running for almost two months now, but, as with any new business venture, getting there wasn’t easy. When Jacqueline and Rick took over the infamous 2606 location in January, they gave the property a much-needed facelift. Jacqueline and Rick are proud to say there’s not one area of the building that was overlooked during the renovations. “We wanted people to know how much we care about this business,” Jacqueline says.
When you enter Christoph’s, you’re greeted by one of their handsome and friendly staff members. Once your ID has passed muster, you descend to the lower level that features a large bar, a dance floor, the DJ booth, and a stage area that will host some of the finest entertainers in the Tampa Bay area.
The upstairs has been transformed into a multipurpose space that can be booked for private events, but will primarily be used to entertain Cristoph’s patrons with theme parties or experiences that Tampa has never seen — or hasn’t seen in quite a long time. Many of these events will cater to the LGBT bear, leather, and fantasy/fetish communities.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out the new venue, the Cristoph’s family asks you to give them a try: “We’re very excited to bring our vision to the area,” says Jacqueline. “We’re excited to open our first bar that caters to the LGBT community, and we have absolutely enjoyed our experience so far. We’ve met so many amazing people!”
She and Rick give credit to their amazing Cristoph’s team, who strive to make the club better each and every day. “Rick and I are so fortunate to work with a group of people who are like a family to us now,” Jacqueline says.
The Cristoph’s team has been working very hard to bring the Tampa area some great new ideas and concepts for the LGBT community. Their daily (and lengthy!) happy hour features half-off drink specials from 2pm to 9pm, and they offer a variety of events and specials every night of the week.
Cristoph’s is located less than 5 minutes from Hyde Park Village, 10 minutes from the Downtown Tampa neighborhoods, and the bar is only a short drive or Uber ride away from St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
Cristoph’s. 2606 N Armenia Ave, Tampa. For more info, news of future event, and to get on Cristoph’s VIP list, visit cristophstampa.com.
