The Women’s Coffeehouse Collective, a lesbian collective and social organization, was founded by Jill Windegarden in 1988. Members of the Women’s Coffeehouse Collective desired to “form a place where women could go that was chemical-free and that served as an alternative to attending bars.” The 15-woman Coffeehouse Collective met “once every six weeks to plan and organize events” by and for women in the greater Cleveland area. Using donations collected from its members, the Women’s Coffeehouse Collective hosted its first two Coffeehouse events at the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland in the summer of 1988. Westside Women’s Coffeehouses, chemical-free women-only events featuring live entertainment, were an “immediate success” with the local women’s community. Due to the “tremendous turnout” at both Coffeehouse events, the Women’s Coffeehouse Collective opted to host subsequent Westside Women’s Coffeehouses in a larger space rented from Franklin Circle Church (1688 Fulton Road). Subsequent Westside Women’s Coffeehouse events continued to provide area women live entertainment and a notably chemical-free and female-oriented social space. The Westside Women’s Coffeehouse was a recipient of the Gay People’s Chronicle Second Annual Community Service Award in recognition of its contributions to Cleveland’s lesbian and women’s communities in the late 1980s-early 1990s. The Women’s Coffeehouse Collective remained active until 1993.
Additional information coming soon.
Resources
- Harris, Marne. “Wertheim, Women’s Coffeehouse Win Awards.” Gay People’s Chronicle. January 1990. Page 1.
- Lane, Lois. “The Women’s Coffeehouse Collective.” Gay People’s Chronicle. July 1988. Page 6.
- Laycock, Robert. “Women’s Coffeehouse.” Gay People’s Chronicle. September 1990. Page 10.
- “Lesbian and Gay Community Service Center Report.” Gay People’s Chronicle. January 1990. Page 6.