Bar Polari, the speakeasy-style cocktail lounge that has served North Charleston's LGBTQ+ community since 2024, is about to lead a double life. Starting in the next couple of weeks, the Reynolds Avenue spot will spend its mornings and afternoons as Café Polari, a brighter, Wi-Fi-equipped coffee shop open to people of all ages, before flipping back into a 21-and-over cocktail bar once the sun goes down.
From Dark Lounge to Daylight Hangout
Bar Polari opened in July 2024 as a speakeasy-inspired cocktail lounge for the LGBTQ+ community, according to the Post and Courier. The bar sits at 1813 Reynolds Ave., Suite C, in North Charleston, per the Charleston City Paper. Owner Brent Compagni created the bar, according to its own website, and he's now behind the push to turn the space into a daytime café as well, per the same report from the Post and Courier.
The idea for Café Polari grew out of conversations Compagni had with regulars about how the space could better serve the community, the report notes. Those regulars said they wanted an inclusive daytime gathering place that wasn't centered on alcohol. “Giving the LGBTQIA+ community space is important, and listening to its needs is even more important,” Compagni said, per the same account.
Coffee, Sandwiches and a Brighter Room
Café Polari will serve coffee, tea, sandwiches and salads, using the existing kitchenette already in place at the bar. The daytime version of the space will feature brighter lighting and Wi-Fi, making it a spot where people can work or meet friends, the report states. Unlike the evening scene, which still requires patrons to be at least 21 years old, Café Polari will be open to all ages during the day.
Compagni purchased an espresso machine as part of the transition, and the café will likely open in the mid-morning hours, according to the same reporting. He expects Café Polari to open within the next couple of weeks, once the remaining details are finalized. Compagni said he's at the bar most of the time during the day anyway, and he saw an opportunity to put those daylight hours to use.
A Neighborhood Already Built Around Connection
Bar Polari sits next to Rebel Taqueria and down the street from We Are Family, a local nonprofit for LGBTQ+ youth, as well as the office of the Alliance for Full Acceptance. In the evenings, the bar runs from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekends, until midnight Tuesday through Thursday, and until 10 p.m. on Sunday and Monday.
The daytime-cafe concept isn't unique to North Charleston. In Columbus, Ohio, Stonewall Columbus opened its own daytime gathering space, Stonewall Cafe, in partnership with Queer Beans Coffee & Tea and Little Gay Bookstore, according to Stonewall Columbus. That cafe-bookshop held its grand opening in September 2025 with weekday hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering espresso and cold brew alongside LGBTQ+-focused books and author programming. Stonewall Columbus has described the effort as being about more than coffee and books, calling it a matter of belonging for the community it serves.
