Help Keep Rumours Alive

The next two months will determine whether Rumours has another two years.

This is Gerald and José, and this is probably one of the hardest things we've ever had to write.

We're not announcing that Rumours is closing.

We're asking for your help to make sure we never have to make that announcement.

We have approximately two months to secure our new two-year lease and make sure Rumours has the financial foundation it needs to continue.

Our known baseline costs under that commitment are approximately $18,000 every month — $216,000 a year and $432,000 over two years.

That includes approximately $12,000 monthly basic rent, $1,400 additional rent, $1,200 electricity, $800 water and $2,600 insurance.

And that's before HST where applicable — and before payroll, security, DJs, entertainment, inventory, cleaning, garbage, licensing, repairs, equipment and everything else it takes to actually operate Rumours.

We're putting these numbers here because if we're going to ask our community for help, we believe you deserve complete honesty about why we're asking.

The money Gerald originally invested into Rumours came from a Veterans Affairs settlement related to the harassment he experienced for being gay during his military service.

Gerald takes $0 in wages from Rumours.

José works approximately 40 hours a week operating and maintaining Rumours but is paid for only 20 hours at minimum wage. He also spends approximately another 20 hours every week handling our social media and promotion without additional pay.

This year has also been incredibly difficult personally. Gerald has undergone three major surgeries and lost his father in May. During Gerald's hospital stays and recovery, José has continued doing everything possible to keep Rumours going.

We're not telling you this because we want sympathy.

We're telling you because Rumours means that much to us.

And now we need to know how much it means to our community.

We recently watched ARIS Nightclub in Moncton close. We've seen LGBTQ+ spaces disappear before, and we don't want to wait until Rumours is gone to ask whether something could have been done.

We're asking now, while there's still time.

Our initial fundraising goal is $150,000

Every dollar raised will help give Rumours the financial breathing room we need as we enter this next chapter — helping with occupancy costs, insurance, utilities, necessary repairs and the real operating expenses required to keep our doors open.

If 5,000 people gave $10, we would reach that goal.

If you can't donate, you can still help.

Share this campaign.

Come through our doors.

Bring your friends.

Attend an event.

Dance.

Play pool.

Have a drink.

Tell somebody why LGBTQ+ spaces still matter.

We've put our money into Rumours.

We've put thousands of hours into it.

We've laughed here. We've cried here. We've watched friendships begin here, and we've watched people walk through our doors nervous and leave feeling like they had found somewhere they belonged.

We're not ready to say goodbye to that.

We want another two years.

But José and Gerald can't do this alone anymore.

If you believe Halifax should have spaces like Rumours, we're asking you to stand beside us now.

Help us keep the lights on, the music playing and the doors open.

With all our love,

Gerald & José

Rum