BREAKING NEWS: Iconic Short North LGBTQ+ Venues Union Cafe and Axis Nightclub Sold to New Local Owners

• Rainbow_Rocks
• August 21, 2026
• Breaking News, Editorial Features, Entertainment
• #ColumbusOhio, #IndependentJournalism, #LGBTQIA, AxisNightclub, CbusNightlife, ColumbusLGBTQ, LGBTQIA+, ShortNorth, UnionCafe
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Written and Photographed by Independent News Reporter — Kyle Williams — Rainbow Rocks — RainbowRocks.space — August 21st, 2026

Two cornerstone institutions of Columbus, Ohio’s LGBTQ+ nightlife scene in the Short North are changing hands once again. Union Cafe and Axis Nightclub—longstanding fixtures located directly across the street from each other on North High Street—have been officially acquired by a new group of investors from within the local LGBTQ+ community.

According to sources, Ohio native Michael Smithson, Tom Grote, along with managing members Dominic Bruno and Ryan Doyle, stepped forward to lead the acquisition.

“Union Cafe and Axis Nightclub are two iconic institutions for the Columbus LGBTQ+ community,” Smithson shared following the announcement. “They have also always had a wonderfully dedicated LGBTQ+ staff. We jumped at the opportunity to acquire these two spaces because, as members of the LGBTQ+ community ourselves, we feel it is important to have owners that are part of, connected to, and invested in our amazingly diverse community as well.”

A New Chapter After Past Controversy

While this new ownership marks an exciting turning point, the venues carry a dark history that has deeply impacted the local LGBTQIA+ community.

As former Columbus leader and community figure Mary Jo Kilroy highlighted regarding the venue’s turbulent trajectory, “In 2022, Michael Purdum, who founded and owns the Old Bag of Nails restaurant group, bought Union Cafe and Axis. And that… changed things.”

That 2022 acquisition erupted into a massive public controversy in 2023 when former employees blew the whistle, revealing that Purdum had a history of political contributions to conservative and anti-LGBTQ+ Republican candidates and organizations. The revelation sparked widespread fury, viral social media backlashes, boycotts, and staff resignations, leaving a lasting scar on patrons who viewed the Short North fixtures as vital, safe havens.

Beyond political turmoil, the venues have long grappled with deep-seated operational neglect and safety failures. Throughout previous ownership eras, neither Union Cafe nor Axis Nightclub received the necessary facility overhauls or revamps desperately needed to keep the spaces modern and safe. Compounding these frustrations, patrons online have raised hundreds of alarms over the years regarding a rampant, unaddressed problem with drink spiking and drugging incidents inside the venues—issues that former management repeatedly failed to clean up or solve.

By returning the keys to a team rooted directly in the LGBTQ+ community, the new ownership group now faces the heavy task of confronting this dark history, delivering the long-overdue physical and institutional revamping, addressing critical safety issues, and rebuilding local trust.

Looking Ahead

In an official statement shared via social media, including posts on Union Cafe’s official Facebook page, the new leadership team outlined a vision centered on preservation and revitalization:

“Our vision is simple: honor what has made Union and Axis so special over the years, while thoughtfully reinvigorating both venues for the future.”

The announcement also extended public gratitude to the frontline staff—bartenders, servers, managers, drag performers, DJs, and security teams—who kept the cultural hubs running through previous turmoil, as well as the broader Columbus community for its enduring support.

“We believe these iconic spaces deserve to thrive for generations to come, led by people who are part of, love, and are deeply invested in this community, and its future.”

As Union Cafe (782 N. High St.) and Axis Nightclub (775 N. High St.) prepare for their next era, local patrons have taken to social media to express optimism, caution, and a watchful eye on what changes the new community-led management will bring to the Short North.