With building tax debt, an LGBTQ+ entertainment space on the Cleveland-Lakewood border will be closing December 28.

Studio West 117, which includes bars, restaurants and a gymnasium, owes more than $160,000 in taxes, according to Cuyahoga County records. In a statement, the company didn’t mention the tax debt or any reason for the closure but did encourage the region to support inclusive spaces.

“While these circumstances are difficult, they do not diminish the impact this space has had or the ongoing need for places where LGBTQ+ people and allies can gather, create, and belong,” the statement reads.

Shortly after opening Studio West 117 on Hird Avenue, off Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, in 2022, owners Daniel Budish and Betsy Figgie purchased two vacant properties of the former Phantasy N

See Full Page