“A crooked tiara only means that you are a queen having fun!”
Having been the center of the gay scene in Reykjavik for many years, Laugavegur 22 is still going strong, mind you under a new guise: Kiki. Manager Árni Grétar Jóhannsson promises that the place will be packed this summer with people who have one agenda: FUN!
How would you categorise Kiki, bar, disco or coffeehouse? Is it a re-incarnation of late Barbara Sunshine, bless her memory, or a totally new concept?
I guess Kiki is what it want’s to be, a little bit of a come-what-may-place. On Thursday evenings and Friday and Saturday nights Kiki is a disco-bar packed with people who have one agenda: FUN! Then it is up to you to decide what tingles your fanny that night: dancing, drinking, chatting or flirting! A mix of everything I think describes a Kiki-night the best. These three nights are the core of Kiki, then again if we feel like it Kiki becomes something else at different times. For example a place for cocktails and cross-stitching on a Sunday evening or a place for a same-sex dancing class on a Tuesday or even a flea-market on a mid-day Saturday. If the idea comes, we usually just go for it! Best way is to follow us on Facebook. To answer your question I guess I would have to say that the great spirit of late Miss Barbara Sunshine is present, but Kiki has also made new foot-steps on the dance floor of Laugavegur 22.
Up-market or chavi?
I would say both and neither! Come as you want! We might have to ask you to wear something though…or not!
So no dress-code?
As long as people are happy in what they are wearing, we are happy. That said, if you turn up full-blown Hobo-style, we might offer you a needle and a thread.
Is everyone welcome?
As long as you embrace and love the LGBTQI-culture and aim to have a blast, we welcome you!
What about admission or age limit?
Admission is always free except maybe once or twice a year when we host fundraising parties for Samtökin ’78 (The National LGBT Organization), Reykjavík Pride or other LGBTQI groups. Age limit is 20 years old.
Music policy?
We like a mix of everything! If the crowd can dance and sing to it, we love it! Mostly it would be commercial and trendy, old school, 80’s, 90’s and even sometimes a little bit of rock and roll. Ask the DJ for the song you want to dance to and most likely you will hear it.
Will you be throwing any parties this summer?
Yes! We will have a craycray party-week during Pride week, we are planning a Queers and Old Dears-party in July and so on and so on! If you have an idea for a party, send it to us through our Facebook-page and we might do what you wanna do!
Any special offers at the bar?
We have a Happy-Thursday with cheap beer and wine and then often on weekends you can grab a “special-prize-for-you-my-friend” on various drinks on our third floor bar.
How’s the place been received?
Very well! It’s been a blast from the beginning! Often there is a cue around the corner to get in on weekends, so make sure you get there no later than midnight!
Rumours have been circling around, that despite its young age Kiki is already had a facelift and is planning on more. True or false?
True! Kiki will be ever-changing, our building is a very old one and that kind of gems need constant love and care, so I think we will always be doing a little bit here and a little bit there. Kiki believes that an ongoing change and evolvement is sooo much better then a complete make-over!
Say we decide to venture to Laugavegur 22 this weekend, can we expect to see poor Kiki in plasters or fresh-faced like an angel?
Kiki is a collection of all things random from all kind of era’s and will keep collecting and adding to the mix. So Kiki will never be a new-born baby, all minty fresh! The truth is that when people are having fun, drinks can be spilled and things can break, but we aim to keep Kiki as fabulous as possible at all times! A crooked tiara only means that you are a queen having fun!
Finally, what’s with the name, Kiki?
SOOO many things about the name! We loooove it! Don’t you? First of all it sounds just fun! Then there is the song that talks about the new gay-slang meaning of it; Kiki being a good party with good friends. Then there is the old meaning of it as a slang, in the 40’s and 50’s Kiki meant a lesbian. Then there is Kiki Dee. We loooove her! Then if you are so inclined you can misread/hear it for Kinky. And…..do you want me to continue?? We just love it!