As Pride Month comes to a close, we’re thrilled to celebrate how our community rallied to support LGBTQ+-owned businesses in 2025. From reaching our Receipt & Receive spending goals, June was packed with events and initiatives that brought people together.
In this recap, you’ll see Seattle show up for Pride in all kinds of ways: from one-of-a-kind cultural events to local business spotlights, sports partnerships, and BECU’s continued backing of the Equity in Action program. We’re proud to honor the LGBTQ+ business owners shaping our city—proving that when we #SpendLikeItMatters, everyone benefits.
Receipt & Receive Update
When we launched the Receipt & Receive program for Pride Month, our aim was to rally $30,000 in support for local LGBTQ+-owned businesses. Thanks to the dedication of the Seattle community—and a little extra push from our hometown teams like the Storm, Sounders FC, Reign, Seahawks, Mariners, and Kraken—we just reached our goal, with $35,498 in submitted receipts from 83 LGBTQ-owned small businesses!
Spots like Friday Afternoon Tea, Rough & Tumble Pub, and Bonhomie Coffee Bar saw the most uploads, but the impact spread far beyond a handful of businesses. It was inspiring to watch neighbors, sports fans, and allies come together to uplift LGBTQ+-owned businesses across the city. Once again, Seattle proved that when we #SpendLikeItMatters, we can move the needle—together.
The Small Business Leaderboard:
- Friday Afternoon Tea
- Rough & Tumble Pub
- Bonhomie Coffee Bar
- Fulcrum Coffee
- Cloud City Coffee
- Exhibit Coffee
- Frelard Tamales
- Bloom Bistro
- Math n Stuff
- Marination
Congratulations to the following Intentional Spenders who uploaded their receipts and are the recipients of prizes from our sports teams! Please look out for an email from the teams about your prize!
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- Cecily uploaded a receipt from Friday Afternoon Tea and is the winner of a prize from the Seahawks!
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- Patty uploaded a receipt from Marination and is the winner of a prize from the Kraken!
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- Jason uploaded a receipt from Cloud City Coffee and is the winner of a prize from the Mariners!
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- Amanda uploaded a receipt from Rough & Tumble Pub and is a winner of a prize from the Reign!
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- Kaitlin uploaded a receipt from Distant Worlds Coffeehouse and is the winner of a prize from the Storm!
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- Sunny uploaded a receipt from Shikorina Bakeshop & Cafe and is the winner of a prize from the Sounders!
Small Business Spotlights
Our weekly Small Business Spotlight series introduced our community to three queer-owned small businesses:
Seeking Ferments Growler Fill Station – Seeking Ferments just opened a growler fill station inside Harried & Hungry in Georgetown. Owners Lyz and Jeanette are pouring everything from kombucha to turmeric soda, including a tepache recipe inspired by a grandmother. Stop by and taste what’s brewing!
Exhibit Coffee at the Friend Museum – Exhibit Coffee, tucked inside Seattle’s Friend Museum, feels more like a cozy, curated living room than a typical café. Co-owners Mandi Avett and Ali Weber have created a space that blends vintage shopping, creative coffee, and community.
Nook & Cranny Books – Step into Nook & Cranny Books, and you’ll quickly realize this isn’t your average neighborhood bookstore. Recently relocated to the edge of Seattle’s U District, Nook & Cranny is a cozy, quietly radical haven packed with titles you won’t find just anywhere—think translated fiction, queer voices, and stories from the margins.
BECU’s Equity in Action: It’s On Us Campaign
A huge thank you to BECU’s Office of Equity and Inclusion for their ongoing support of the Equity in Action: It’s on Us campaign during Pride Month. Their commitment to celebrating and uplifting LGBTQ+ communities made a real impact—this June, BECU picked up the tab for treats at LGBTQ+-owned businesses all over the region. Community members just had to create an Intentionalist account, stop by their favorite neighborhood spots, and enjoy complimentary items, all courtesy of BECU. This initiative not only gave a boost to LGBTQ-owned small businesses, but also welcomed new faces to these standout locations.
Intentionalist in the News
Intentionalist’s founder, Laura Clise, was mentioned in two local press articles about Pride Month.
“Being an ally is about three things: awareness, education, and action,” says Clise, who identifies as lesbian. “Are you aware of the historical and present ways in which the community has been and is still the target of violence and discrimination? Are you intentional and proactive about staying informed? What are you doing to make a difference?” – Seattle Magazine
Fat’s Chicken and Waffles is one of several LGBTQ-plus businesses featured by The Intentionalist, a Seattle-based social enterprise focused on giving incentives to the rest of us to spend our money here.
“Folks will be able to explore and hopefully discover LGBTQ-owned small businesses.
Laura Clise is The Intentionalist’s founder and CEO.
“Folks can enjoy a free treat thanks to the BECU equity in action pre-pay tab,” said Clise. “And our hope is folks get a little taste and then come back for more.” – KIRO7
Artist Spotlight
We’re honored to feature original Pride Month artwork by our guest artist, Mica Viacrucis (they/them). Mica’s piece pays tribute to the secret language of flowers—a tradition rooted in queer history, where blooms carried coded messages at times when LGBTQ+ folks couldn’t safely be out.
Their work brings these symbols to life in the colors of the Pride flag, reclaiming and celebrating flowers that once held stigma. We’re grateful to Mica for sharing their vision, and for reminding us that Pride is about both remembrance and joy. Mica’s artist statement is below:
Certain species of flowers were used to communicate in coded language when queer communities weren’t able to be open about their identities. Some floral words were used as homophobic and transphobic slurs (like “pansy”), but have since been reclaimed and changed of their derogatory meanings.
In rainbow order like the pride flag, I incorporated roses (symbol for gay men and/or Trans remembrance), poppies (signifying those fallen in acts of violence against the queer community and honoring LGBTQ+ veterans), lilies (symbol for lesbians), daisies, buttercups, pansies (reclaimed derogatory terms), trillium (bisexuality), carnations (specifically green as a symbol for gay love), hydrangeas (strength and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community), lavender (color of empowerment due to its association with the Stonewall Riots), and violets (lesbian love).
Support LGBTQ-Owned, Year Round
Supporting LGBTQ+-owned businesses isn’t just a Pride Month thing—it’s a year-round way to help build a stronger, more inclusive community. As Pride Month wraps up, let’s keep the spirit going and continue to #SpendLikeItMatters. Every purchase from an LGBTQ+ entrepreneur has a real impact, and we can’t wait to see what our community achieves together all year long.