From a thrift store with built-in HIV testing to an inclusive pet daycare, Columbus’ LGBTQ+ community is intent on making the city welcoming for all. 

Take a look at these seven LGBTQ+-owned businesses in Columbus and click on the name of any business for more information. 

Slammers (202 E. Long St. & 1607 N. High St.) 

Slammers Bar and Pizzeria first opened in Columbus in 1993 and has since become best known for its accepting atmosphere and wide array of events. For those seeking out anything from karaoke to trivia to bingo to painting-based events, Slammers has it all covered. 

Tasty Dawg (107 S. High St.) 

Tom Dailey and Sung Jin Pak first opened Tasty Dawg in December 2020, creating a diverse menu of hot dogs, mac bowls and chicken sandwiches. In July 2023, the business was taken over by Mark Boughton — also known by the nickname “Teddybear” — who presently continues Tasty Dawg’s legacy of being both LGBTQ+ owned and operated in Columbus. 

Bake Me Happy (6750 Longshore St.) 

Bake Me Happy is an entirely gluten-free bakery that focuses on creating quality baked goods that anyone can enjoy. The business’ main goal, according to its website, is creating a menu that doesn’t discriminate, making sure even those with food restrictions won’t be left out. At Bake Me Happy, “love is love”; but also, “food is love.” 

Out of the Closet (1230 N. High St.) 

According to its website, the first Out of the Closet thrift store was originally founded in 1990 to help raise funds and awareness for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Even today, 96 cents of every dollar made are donated to the foundation’s HIV-prevention and -treatment services. This is what makes it possible for Out of the Closet to also offer HIV testing at each of its 24 locations around the country. 

Sew to Speak (752 High St.) 

Sew to Speak is a local sewing and fabric shop located in the heart of downtown Worthington. The business, originally founded by Anita Gastaldo in 2008, was taken over by Amy Baden and her wife Eva Fried in May 2023. The shop not only offers a retail storefront, but also an array of classes and events for both sewing newbies and experts, ensuring there is a place for everyone at Sew to Speak. 

Heartfelt Movement (47 E. Lincoln St., 1780 W. 5th Ave. & 29 E. 5th Ave.) 

Heartfelt’s three separate locations — the pole studio in the Short North, the cycle studio in Grandview and the yoga studio in the Short North — all function as portions of Columbus’ greater community. A community that, according to its website, has a priority to create a safe space for its patrons, where they can be authentically themselves and engage in a rewarding workout in the process. 

Barks and Rec (1057 W. 5th Ave.) 

Barks and Rec is a pet care brand that provides grooming, boarding, daycare and training services for dogs. But aside from the company’s focus on animals, it also has a special place for its employees. According to Barks and Rec’s website, part of its mission is fostering connections between humans and animals, as well as providing jobs for those with disabilities. 

This story was updated June 13 at 10:15 a.m. to correct the amount of each dollar earned at Out of the Closet that gets donated to the foundation’s HIV-prevention and -treatment services.