Martha Manning first encountered the Wildrose in the late '90s while working a coffee cart near Pike Street, having moved from Rhode Island while she was coming into her sexuality. Like many other LGBTQIA+ transplants, Manning didn’t feel like she could come out back home, she told the SGN.

“I wasn't even sure what I wanted or knew. So I came here, started with a coffee cart, and eventually found the Wildrose," Manning said.

She explained how a fateful hiring decision set her course: “I got hired at both the Wildrose and The Easy, but Joanne [the previous owner of the Wildrose] said, 'You can't work at both — it's competition … I picked the Wildrose, and it changed everything. My life, my friends, my wife—none of it would've happened without that choice.”

By 2001, Manning and her business partner, Shelley Brothers, took over the Wildrose and immediately transformed the space.

"For 36 hours straight before opening, we painted everything black and red" she said. "The place was battleship gray and pink — like a Baskin Robbins! We wanted it darker, sexier — like The Easy's vibe."

A beacon of visibility since 1984

The Wildrose's legacy of Lesbian and Queer visibility began long before Manning's time. In the ‘80s there were about 200 Lesbian bars across the country, yet just 34 remain, with the Wildrose being one of them, according to the Lesbian Bar Project.

"I'll always remember what Joanne told me when she hired me," Manning said. “We were sitting here — the place looked different then — and she explained the significance of keeping our windows open. That wasn't common in Gay bars back then. She said those windows had been broken before and would be broken again, but it was vitally important that we could be seen and that we could see out. She didn't use the word 'visibility,' but now, looking back, that's exactly what she meant... That conversation stuck with me — it felt profoundly significant in a way I hadn't considered before."

This commitment to visibility became a through line in the bar's history.

"People who haven't experienced something don't know how it was. I remember being interviewed after marriage equality and saying I hadn't expected so many advances in my lifetime," Manning said.

Adapting to the times while staying true

The Wildrose has navigated seismic shifts in Queer culture over the decades.

Manning said early Lesbian bars needed to be protective spaces. While the Wildrose originally opened as and is still considered a Lesbian bar, it has since become the home to many in Seattle’s LGBTQIA+ community.

Previous SGN reporting states that not long after Manning and Brothers took over ownership, a more diverse crowd — including Gay college men — began to trickle through the doors. They and many more having been wholeheartedly welcomed ever since.

"Now we can be more inclusive while maintaining safety. We don't check sexuality at the door. If you're respectful, you're welcome here," Manning said, while acknowledging the bar’s evolving clientele. "People would say, 'I was mistreated here in 1989.' I'd reply, 'That was [many] years ago — try us now.' But I believe in dialogue between generations. People who didn't experience smashed windows or hidden entrances don't realize how far we've come."

Recent years have brought both challenges and triumphs, like now not having to close on hot days due to the installation of air conditioning. The bar also celebrated its 40th anniversary on December 31, which included a proclamation of Wildrose Day from the City of Seattle — a bittersweet moment, as Brothers passed shortly after.

"Shelly was here for the anniversary," Manning shared. "She got to celebrate with friends, regulars, and so many young people. There's a renewed energy around Queer spaces post-COVID, thanks to projects like the Lesbian Bar Project."

Pride 2025 and the future

The Wildrose will shake things up for this year’s Pride celebrations.

"We're front-loading, with Leslie Hall performing Friday night," Manning excitedly announced. "She played here 18 years ago — her gem sweaters and energy are unforgettable!"

As one of the last remaining Lesbian bars nationwide, the Wildrose's survival is remarkable. Manning's strategy focuses on weekday sustainability, through trivia nights and a revamped food menu. The iconic mac and cheese the Wildrose once had — four kinds of cheeses, baked perfectly — is back on the menu.

“People asked for it, so we brought it back," Manning said. "We call [the potatoes] 'Queer-cut potatoes"... Technically, they are.”

Manning's vision for the future is clear:

"This bar gave me my wife, my best friends, my community. We'll keep adapting, but the heart stays the same — a place where everyone can feel at home," she said. "Just come in. Support us on weekdays. Tell us how we can improve. This place is nothing without the people who fill it."

Follow @thewildrosebar on Instagram for event updates and daily specials. The bar is at 1021 E. Pike St. on Capitol Hill in Seattle.