Mark III Tap Room, Indiana’s oldest gay bar, will be reopening this spring with a new location in downtown Muncie.
The bar, which dated back to 1974, was originally forced to close at the start of the year. The closure was due to legal problems of the previous owner.
Keith Martz, co-owner of the Mark III Tap Room, said the plan was always to reopen the bar. There is no specific date to open, but the owners are thinking between the end of April and the beginning of May.
“We never gave up,” Martz said.
The new venue, located at 306 S Walnut St., is over triple the size of the original location on Main Street. The bar will have 6,500 square feet, an increase from the former location's 2,000 square feet. This increase in space means more possibilities for entertainment for its patrons.
Natasha Martz co-owns the bar and said she’s excited for the possibilities.
“The stage in the new venue is much larger,” Natasha said. “It opens up the possibility to have new shows like burlesque and live music.”
The increase in opportunity, Natasha said, will make up for the change to their regulars.
“It was hard for old patrons to move,” she said.
Keith said the move was necessary for their patrons. It was the right time for the Mark III to grow and expand.
“Our community is growing and it is something that is much needed,” Keith said.
Dalton Cromer, a Ball State senior, said he is excited for the opening. He has heard about the bigger venue and is optimistic in how this will affect the shows, particularly the drag show, which was held once a month. Dalton is the vice president of the LGBTQ student organization Spectrum and was a regular at the bar.
“I went to The Mark at least once a week while it was open,” Cromer said. “It was different than other bars because it wasn’t jam-packed all the time. You could hang out and actually have a conversation.”
Natasha said the regulars can expect more of the same type of service and personal atmosphere they had come to expect. It will look bigger and better on the outside, but will keep the family atmosphere they have always had, she said.
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