For someone who “never considered being in the bar business,” Jan Lancaster has been a successful bar owner for 31 years.
But The Bistro is more than just a bar to the LGBTQ+ community, said Prairie Pride Coalition President Dave Bentlin. It has been a safe space, a place of celebration, a place of mourning and a community center.
“Some of the most memorable moments in my life took place at the Bistro,” said Bentlin. When same sex couples could not find a church to do their commitment ceremonies, Lancaster opened the doors to the Bistro.
Lancaster was passionate about the health and care of the HIV AIDS community in the early years.
“There were several cases when a person who passed away, the family did not want to have a celebration, and there was no church that was available to do that. And [Lancaster] opened her doors, and we had celebrations of life at the Bistro for people who passed away," Bentlin said.
Lancaster said owning The Bistro has always been political to her. Not long after opening The Bistro, Lancaster started working to get sexual orientation added to Bloomington and Normal discrimination ordinances.
That effort failed to pass in both Bloomington and Normal the first time around, said Lancaster. She held a “huge” meeting at The Bistro. “The bar was just packed with people supporting the amendment, and that was basically the start of what is now the Prairie Pride Coalition.”
After the meeting, Lancaster and The Bistro community told heartfelt stories about why they needed the amendment passed. When the city council members heard people’s personal stories they changed their votes, said Lancaster, and the amendment passed.
Jan Lancaster and The Bistro were also responsible for bringing the first Pride Fest to Bloomington. Lancaster said Bloomington is a diverse community, and she wanted to use a Pride festival as an educational tool to show off different types of people. An annual Pride Fest has been held in Bloomington for the past five years.
“I think the most important thing to me is that [The Bistro] is a safe haven for all,” said Lancaster. “I can't believe how many people we helped through the years.”
Lancaster said it is important to continue to educate younger generations on the history of the gay communities so they do not disappear.
