Setups and menstrual cups
Going beyond the stereotypes at a women's sports bar in Silver Lake
Late Saturday afternoon, a crowd pushes through the post-fireworks haze in Silver Lake to grab a table indoors at Untamed Spirits, a women’s sports bar in Silver Lake. It is 3:55 PM, and the Sparks are scheduled to tip off against the Indiana Fever.
Untamed Spirits meets all the basic requirements of a sports bar. Several mounted TVs? Check. Menu full of items containing fried food? Check. Plenty of alcohol at happy-hour prices? Check.
But the buzz in the bar goes beyond the brews.
“The Sparks are playing right now, and there are probably not too many places in the city that you can go watch the game,” says owner Stephanie Ellingwood, standing next to her wife and co-owner Janie Ellingwood. Stephanie adds that fans learn quickly that they have to make sure they get there early to get a seat.
Stephanie’s point is valid. By 4:05, almost every single stool and table is filled. The televisions above the bar are showing a variety of contests, including the Dodgers taking on the Astros just a few miles away as well an exhibition featuring the barnstorming Savannah Bananas. But the “big screen” — formed from four LCDs conjoined at their inner vertices — is reserved for the Sparks.
And yes, the sound for the WNBA game is on.
That is key to Untamed Spirits’ origin story, with the Ellingwoods having struggled to find places around town that would let them enjoy women’s sports with the full audio-visual experience that they craved. When they couldn’t find the bar that they craved, they opened their own — despite having no experience having run one before.
“We depend a lot on our staff,” Stephanie explains. “They’ve all worked in the industry before, and we tell them that we’re open to feedback.”
And the collaborative culture seems to be a long-term feature rather than a response to a short-term bug.
“I think that’s also the reason why we’ve been as successful as we are at this point — because everybody on our team is so happy to help us learn,” Stephanie continues. “And how many places can you do that at?”
Sports bars have a reputation for the type of the clientele they attract.
If you consult Urban Dictionary, the top definition claims that “‘sports bar’ is a synonym for ‘jackass consolidation area,’” adding an example referencing “frat bros […] hooting to the latest televised NFL macho circle jerk.”
While that may not be the experience at every sports bar, such venues are rarely welcoming to those seeking out women’s sports. There’s a viewing hierarchy in American sports, and even with the recent growth in the popularity of the WNBA and the NWSL, football and men’s basketball rule most screens at any given time.
But at Untamed Spirits on Saturday, the vibes are entirely different. Not only does the crowd seem genuinely engaged with the Sparks game, but there is a positive, upbeat energy. At a time when sports and politics are becoming increasingly intertwined, this Silver Lake bar feels like a refuge.
At my table, one woman shares how she leaves a menstrual cup at her best friend’s place because they have a teenage daughter, and she’s trying to normalize having conversations about periods. Another shows up halfway through the game because she has just learned that her boyfriend cheated on her and wants to be in the company of her friends. And eventually, I’m asked by someone at the table if I knew of any “good single guys.”
I can’t say that that particular question has ever been posed to me at a sports bar before.
But places like Untamed Spirits remind me that we can have the excitement of sports without its machismo. We can talk about setups and menstrual cups but then turn back to the TV because the Sparks are suddenly about to steal a game from the Fever. We can wear our Angel City shirts and Dodgers hats, but we don’t have to undermine the opponents or curse at the referees.
July 7 marks the one-month anniversary of the opening of Untamed Spirits. The city of Los Angeles chews up and spits out food-service establishments, and there is certainly a long road ahead for the bar to solidify its place in the community. But if Saturday is any indication, the Ellingwoods have a winner on their hands.
“We’re here for the people. We’re here with the people,” Janie proclaims. “It’s not just our bar — it’s your bar, too.”
Loved it!
I luv the title as well. It’s an attention-grabber.