An LGBT2Q+ lounge in Kelowna is changing hands and will be getting a re-brand.
Last Friday, Dec. 26, the current owners of the Friends of Dorothy lounge in downtown Kelowna announced the establishment was being sold after six years of operation.
On Dec. 29, the new owner was revealed to be Dustyn Baulkham, founder and CEO of events and media company Rebellious Unicorns, as well as a festival manager for Kelowna Pride.
He also served as co-chair of the Central Okanagan Foundation from 2023 to 2024 and currently sits on the board of governors for Okanagan College.
The Friends of Dorothy account on Instagram said the values of the lounge will carry on through the ownership change.
“This transition came together quickly – a focused two-week process between Rudy and Dustyn – with one clear priority: this space remains independently queer-owned and rooted in the 2SLGBTQ+ community,” a Friends of Dorothy Instagram post said.
“That commitment continues, proudly.”
While the core mission remains the same, some things in the lounge will change. The lounge is being re-branded from Friends of Dorothy and will take on the name, Unicorn Lounge.
The Instagram announcement also said there will be new menus and changes to the interior.
In January, the lounge will be open from 7 p.m. to late night as the establishment goes through a transitionatory period.
The Unicorn Lounge has plans to have a grand reopening in February.