The dance floor at Icon Birmingham. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

After a little over a month since it was first announced, Icon Birmingham—a new bar founded by the owner of Tuscaloosa’s only gay bar—is gearing up to open its doors in Five Points South.

We met with owner Kyle Richardson for a special sneak peek inside the new venue before its grand opening on Friday, May 8.

First look inside Icon, Birmingham’s new gay bar

The stage at Icon Birmingham in Five Points South. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

A little over 16 years ago, Kyle Richardson opened the first Icon at 516 Greensboro Ave in downtown Tuscaloosa. Known for its drag shows, themed dance nights and welcoming, inclusive environment, Icon Tuscaloosa is the college town’s only dedicated gay bar. After two of Birmingham’s most prominent LGBTQ+ spaces—Our Place and The Quest Club—closed in recent years, Richardson began working to expand Icon’s presence to Birmingham.

“Losing The Quest and Our Place created a big void in Birmingham’s gay community, so I’ve been looking for the right opportunity to open something new for almost two years. When [this space] became available, it felt like it was meant to be.”
Kyle Richardson, Founder & Owner, Icon Tuscaloosa + Birmingham

Icon Birmingham is located at 2012 Magnolia Avenue, a 7,400-square-foot space in the Pickwick Place retail center in Five Points South. According to Richardson, the new Icon is nearly four times the size of the original Tuscaloosa location—and that’s not counting the new Icon’s kitchen, which will offer pizza, wings and other classic bar food favorites.

One of the bars inside Icon Birmingham. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Starting this weekend, Icon Birmingham will begin featuring regular drag shows and brunches, themed parties and collaborations with local LGBTQ+ and other social organizations. Here’s what you can expect opening weekend:

Free admission until 9PM on both Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9 ($10 cover after 9PM)
A RuPaul’s Drag Race watch party, starting at 7PM on Friday, May 8
Live entertainment from DJ Eric Ryan and drag performances from Genesis, Ophelia Foxx, Chipz Awhore, Yosmein Campbell Starr and Saent

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“I feel excited and anxious at the same time heading into opening weekend! I am really excited to see what people think when they first walk through the door.”
Kyle Richardson, Founder & Owner, Icon Tuscaloosa + Birmingham