Lush Lounge & Theater and its nonprofit arm Lush Legacy Fund are looking to turn the popular Northeast Minneapolis LGBTQ+ bar and theater venue into a nonprofit organization, though details on the move are still limited.

The fund’s board of directors — which includes one of the current Lush owners — has been working on a plan for the Lush Legacy Fund to acquire Lush Bar & Theater since summer, according to a Wednesday news release. The fund was officially launched as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in June.

Current ownership is committed to investing all profits back into the business until the ownership transfer is finalized, co-owner of Lush Jennifer Lueck said in an email to TCB. Lueck also serves on the Lush Legacy Fund board.

The legacy fund and Lush have separate accountants in a commitment to transparency and compliance, Lueck said in the release.

“None of the owners are being compensated during this transition. All funds will go towards pursuing and sponsoring programs, shows, and artists as we continue to move through this process,” Lueck said in the email.

The Lush Legacy Fund was created with the mission to create “a safe, creative, and empowering space for LGBTQ+ artists and performers, especially those BIPOC members of the LGBTQ+ community,” according to the fund’s website. 

The Lush Legacy Fund board of directors is working with a team of nonprofit experts to help focus the mission, goals, and programming of the organization as it looks toward this potential acquisition, according to the release.

There is no set timeline for when this transition might occur, Lueck said in the email. But, a meet-and-greet with the Lush Legacy Fund board will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at the Lush Lounge & Theater where the board will discuss its plans and ideas. Those who attend will be encouraged to share program suggestions and contacts for possible collaboration, according to the release.

As far as board president Nathan Eckstein is aware, this move would make Lush Lounge & Theater the first nonprofit LGBTQ+ bar and theater in the nation. But it wouldn’t be the first entity in the Twin Cities’ hospitality industry to be acquired by a nonprofit; in September 2023, Minneapolis restaurant Owamni was acquired by North American Traditional Indigenous Food System, a nonprofit formed by chef Sean Sherman.

“There’s a lot of work ahead, and a lot of unknowns, but we know we are doing something truly special that will continue to strengthen our community and continue to make Minnesota a safe and accepting place that values the lives of all its residents,” Eckstein said.

Lush temporarily closed back in late 2020, but reopened a year later under new ownership.