Frequently Asked Questions

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When Petie took ownership of the bar she purchased a bright green neon sign that ran the length of the bar (approximately 30 feet). Everyday the beaming sign teased ‘Free Beer Tomorrow.’ When talking to Petie about this project we tossed out the idea of naming the film Free Beer Tomorrow and she loved it. So, there you have it!

If you went, you know. The bar has been described variously by former patrons as a “sanctuary, haven, community center, home, church, safe space.” All of this at a time when being an out lesbian, dyke, butch, queer person was tantamount to risking your life. Jack’s/Summit Station nourished generations of lesbians and those that loved them. The history of the bar and its patrons is largely unknown outside those fortunate to have experienced its magic. This project is designed to pay tribute to bar and its patrons and staff. It is designed to preserve the history of lesbian/dyke/butch/femme culture - a culture that is not widely understood or appreciated. It is designed to inspire generations to come with stories of strength, perseverance and ultimately triumph.

We have been collecting interviews and archival material since July 2022.  We have interviewed over 50 patrons from the 1970's up through the last days of the bar. We have interviewed Petie Brown, owner of the bar from 1980-2008 and she has given us her blessing on this project. We have conducted a public storytelling event about the bar and held a 3 day celebration of lesbian/dyke culture on the weekend of the dedication of the historical monument. We have done it all on a shoestring and are eager to raise resources to help us get over the finish line. 

Yes! If you were a patron of the bar or have other stories to tell, please reach out to us. You can follow our work on Facebook, Instagram and our webpage. We are also collecting archival materials-photographs, old posters or flyers, audio or video footage. We also need volunteers to help us manage events, catalogue recordings, etc.

Free Beer Tomorrow is a registered LLC in the State of Ohio. We also have a non-profit fiscal sponsor, Lesbians Benefitting the Arts. Most of the labor to bring this project to life is done without pay by the project Directors and Producers, Julia M. Applegate and LuSter P. Singleton. We employ Interns when we have money to pay them ($15 per hour). We also have a wonderful rotating group of volunteers who have helped us with data entry, accounting, project management, editing and a variety of other tasks.  We have been grant recipients from Ohio Humanities, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, The City of Columbus, the College of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University and Women in Philanthropy.  Finally, over 500 individual donors from all over North America, Europe and Asia have contributed to this work. To say we are a collective is an understatement. We are grateful for every kind of support we are fortunate to receive. Thank you!