-One of the things -that's unique about Vermont -generally is that people are -very kind to their neighbors.

-Even if I don't understand -you necessarily -or feel like -we're politically aligned -or identities are aligned.

-If I see that -you need something or, -you know, you dont -have your wood stacked -or whatever -it is, there's just a culture -of helping people.

Yeah.

-And so we're starting from -that place with that culture.

-And I feel like that's -a very important place -to start as queer folks.

-Anything else -you want to add?

-I'm great, I'm great.

-Babe will be here.

-He may have more -profound things to say.

-Yeah, we'll get the other -babe.

Yeah.

-Thank you, Babe.

Thank you.

-I'm Jesse Lasky, and we're -at Babe's Bar right now -in Bethel, Vermont.

-What's the -story behind the name, babe?

-There's, like, -three stories behind it.

-!We call each other babe.

Okay.

-And like -when we got married, -it was babe fest, you know?

-So it was just no question -that our bar would be called -Babes.

-Yeah, but -then we also heard some -feedback about that name -and some concerns of, like, -you know, -This gay couple -is coming to town.

-This bar, they're calling it -Babes.

-Like, is it going to be a -strip club?

What is it?

-Yeah.

-And so we decided to come up -with a mascot -and a logo and a name -that wasn't specific to that.

-That we call each other babe, -but I think -most people understand that -once you're here, -you're kind of a babe.

-And the third story is that, -the train station, -which is the building -that our bar is in, -used to have a barbershop -in it and the woman that -ran that barbershop, -her name was babe, -which we didn't know -until someone came in -and said, -oh, did you name the name -the bar after my aunt?

-She used to work here.

-And so we had no idea.

-But clearly -it was meant to be, babes.

-Meant to be?

Yeah.

-Folks, -today I brought you to -!Babe's Bar in Bethel, Vermont.

-Babe's bar is renowned -for being a cultural center -for the queer community.

-But the story -that really fascinates -me is how Jesse and Owen -came from a big city -to Little Bethel -and brought with them -!their identity, their history, -their community, -their culture.

-And they melded -that seamlessly -with the community -that was already here.

-And in doing so, -they built a place -that is truly welcoming -for all, fundamentally -and deeply at the root, all.

-I'm Jesse, I am one of -the owners of Babe's Bar.

-We are not just a bar.

-We are the gathering space.

-Event space.

-Dance club at points.

-I'm Owen.

-We moved here because Jesse's -brother and our sister in law -moved here -a couple years -before we did, -and they were really, -they're rooted here.

-They have a farm, -and they had a son, -Francis, our nibbling.

-And when they had him, -we were just dreaming -and scheming -about getting out of Chicago.

-And the stars kind of aligned -of maybe we should move -to Vermont.

-People were -very curious, very interested -in what we're doing.

-A lot of talking, -a lot of asking questions.

-So we just tried to like, -be transparent -about what we were thinking -and also listened to what -!people wanted the space to be, -because it was kind of -a blending of -like our vision -that we came in with.

Yeah.

-But also meeting -the needs of what -the community had -at the same time.

-So tell us about this pool -table.

Well, umm -what do you mean, what?

-Its green.

-Oh, we heard very loudly -and very clearly -from the regulars that -there needed to be a table.

-So I think within, -I don't know, 12 days.

-There was one -maybe even less than that.

-We corrected that.

Right.

-We also brought in, let's say -we didn't have Red bull.

-We didn't have fireball, -I don't think.

-Yeah, we made some immediate -adjustments -and that was just -for the community.

-yeah.

Totally.

-Yeah.

That's great.

-Yeah.

-And now we have a boilermaker -on the menu with fireball.

-So it's awesome.

Yeah.

-One of -the things that strikes me -as so incredible -about this place -is that really -you'll go in here -and there are blue collar -lumberjacks and there are gay -men in jean shorts, -jorts, as we call them.

-There are women knitting -their small dogs and children -playing on the floor.

-It's just really, -truly in its spirit -and at its core, -a place that is warm -and welcoming for everyone.

-And we are here we are.

-You want to say anything -about Babes?

-!Nick, do you have a last name?

-Okay, yeah, -my last name is Pierce.

-And Babes -is a great bar -to have in your local town.

-I mean, you could have -this bar in your town.

-You'd love it.

-Well, what -is it you love about Babes?

-Well, -I I've been a bar person -my whole life.

-I've drank in bars -my whole life.

And -this is a good bar.

-Well, -what makes it good for you?

-Yeah.

-!We're not going to define that -for you.

-it's just -to be here.

-Look around you, -see the people.

-Listen and its a good -place.

-I think a lot of people -would look at the crowd here -and not associate them -as queer friendly, let's say?

-Certainly not queer.

-And maybe if -we're being stereotypical, -not queer friendly.

-And yet -you're, theyre -all here sharing the space -and you're the owners.

Yeah.

-Let's explore that.

Yeah.

-I mean, right, it's -kind of that as, -as a queer person and, -and just sort of thinking -about queerness in general -!and like autonomy and to dress -how we want or -present how we want -like I give that -I extend that to everybody, -you know, -so like and also not -making assumptions -about who somebody is -based on how theyre dressed.

-This space is about like -just respect period.

-!Like when you walk in the door -with respect.

-We had some people -who grew up in this town -approach us and be like, -!I just don't know if a gay bar -!is going to work in this town, -you know?

-And it didn't -feel like homophobia to me.

-It felt like, -the idea that gay people -can only make gay things, -so do gay things.

-You know, -there was -that concern of like, -you're in a very specific -niche, and I don't know -if everybody's -going to go for that.

-And then -sometimes it did feel like -it was less about us -being a queer couple -and more about us -being from a city -where I was like, -who are these city -people coming in?

-And buying our bar, you -know, and buying the place -where my grandfather -was the last station agent.

-So we we did have to be very -thoughtful about listening -to what the community wanted -and not just putting our own, -our own expectations in.

-I think part of the reason -why our bar feels so good -is because it as a queer -bar, queer owned bar, -and so we're thinking -about space and relationships -to each other differently -than maybe some other places.

-But it was always our vision -that it had that full -community feeling, -and that it wasn't -just a bar for a certain -group of people, but as a bar -that's, like, thinking -about the people who have -the least amount of spaces -where they're comfortable -and safe, -and making sure -that those folks -are prioritized -and thought about.

-The real surprise -and excitement -that people feel -when they're like, -I didn't think I would feel -good here, -and I really love here.

-Like, I just want to keep -coming here and -!and being excited to be around -people that are different -than they've been used -to be hanging around with.

-And that's kind of like -our values, you know, -in life, is that -transformation is possible.

-And our communities -are stronger when -we don't necessarily -have to agree -on all the lines for things.

-!But we have like basic respect -and understanding -of one another.

-That goes a long way.

-Good story.

-But do you?

-Hi Henry!

-He's like, -where's the hair and makeup?

-Yeah.

-Do you want to -say anything?

-It's a great bar.

-I grew up in this place.

-My mom, literally my mom -was a better bartender here.

-She was a manager -when it was the old depot.

-So I grew up, -literally grew up here -in this place.

-And then the day of my mom's -!funeral was their opening day.

-So that was kind of -symbolic in itself.

-And what -do you think of Babes then?

-It's a great -place to come and hang out, -have a few drinks, -and - -Yeah, its like a home -away from home, almost.

-Just a great place to -come and hang out.

-Vermont is a little bit -notorious for -being an insular community.

-We kind of - we're skeptical -of outsiders.

-!And I'm saying this as someone -who's lived in Vermont -for 17 years -and still sometimes -gets treated as an outsider, -I understand it, its -just the way that we live.

-It's the way that we are.

-But Jesse and Owen -have come to Bethel, -started Babes -and cultivated a relationship -!with the community in the area -and a reputation -for themselves -as people who are genuinely, -passionately -and indisputably -here for the community.

-What's the feeling you -want to leave with people?

-I hope that people remember -when they leave here, -the amount of care -that we put into this space -and that they feel cared for -and seen, respected, -and also that they had a good -!experience and a good beverage -and a good vibe.

-Most of all, that's about it.

-But thank you -so much for your time -and for everything you -guys do for.

Yeah, thank you.