The Accidental Barkeep: Katie Sketch

How former Organ singer Katie Sketch wound up running one of the city’s hottest lesbian bars

In a roundabout way, Henhouse has become one of the most popular up-and-coming lesbian bars on the Queer West scene. This is surprising because it’s not on Queen West, it wasn’t supposed to be a bar and it’s not really a lesbian joint at all.

When former Organ singer Katie Sketch opened the Dundas West local with ex-bandmate Jenny Smyth, the Henhouse was actually supposed to be a brunch resto designed to fulfill Sketch’s longing for a good breakfast place in her new ’hood.

“And then when we were opening it we realized we don’t know anything about doing food on any level, so we thought, 'let’s just open it as a bar for a month and then we’ll do brunch,'” she says while, ironically, enjoying a dish from their newly instituted Sunday menu. The image is almost like something out of an alternate-universe Norman Rockwell print as Sketch, still with the same slightness that made her stage presence so striking, sits ball-capped and boyish at the 1950s-style Formica table.

Part of the Henhouse’s attraction is the stylishly kitschy decor. Pretty much everything is from Craigslist, according to Sketch, including the yearbook pages wallpapering the washroom walls and even the widely revered jukebox. “The one thing that’s really awesome about this jukebox — other than the selection — is that it gets really loud,” says Sketch, “and it sounds better when it’s louder,” Consequently, the Henhouse has already seen its share of dance parties.

Dance parties aside, Sketch’s music has had to take a backseat to the bar biz, which is a shame considering the promising sound of her post-Organ project Mermaids. But musical thoughts are not far from her mind: “[Jenny and I] call this our band. And we call any money that comes in our band fund. It’s really the same. We’re not on the road — that’s the good news — but the hours are pretty much the same.” Sketch adds that the time spent selling their own merch with The Organ has helped her develop the friendly yet guarded demeanour of a veteran barkeep.

Where the Henhouse really seems to score, however, is its inclusive atmosphere — which is fitting for the Queer West scene in general. “I’ve never been out on Church Street. Well, maybe once,” she says. “I can’t really compare, but I think that men and women probably mix a lot more here. I feel like there’s something softer. It’s nice to go out to a place with your gay friends and run into your straight friends.

“But the reason that’s amazing is that in Toronto you don’t even have to care that much. And it’s one of the only cities where being gay is not a big deal. And it’s a big deal in many other cities. Having a place like Church Street is necessary in other cities because you need to have a place to go where you can feel like there are people that are like you. But you don’t need that in Toronto.”

The Henhouse is located at 1532 Dundas W. and is open daily from 5pm-2am.