Hard Launching BOYFRIEND Co-Op: The Ultimate Third Space for Queer New Yorkers

“Keeping the queer economy in queer hands is the only way to succeed, especially with this political climate where everyone’s against us,” said Hena Mustafa, one of the founding owners at BOYFRIEND co-op.

Past the busy Myrtle Ave intersection and through the glass doors, the space is like a witch and antique collector’s living room. Its charm is in the details: deep blue limewash walls, secondhand furniture, mismatched chandeliers, and random fixtures from Mustafa’s mom’s house.

It’s a café by day and bar by night, but also a space for parties, film screenings, art markets, and everything in between. Most of all, for queer New Yorkers craving a place where the hours melt away, BOYFRIEND co-op is love at first sight.

EnVi spoke with Mustafa on BOYFRIEND co-op’s role as a third space for queer New Yorkers, along with hosting Lez Night Out’s first-ever Lavender Market on September 21.

Come Here Often?

The programming at BOYFRIEND has been endless: Bisexual Nights, Sapphic Saturdays, journal collaging, Deaf meet-ups, and so much more. In other words, there is literally something for everybody — even aspiring clowns (yes, clowns).

In Mustafa’s eyes, this abundance of events is “a testament not to anything we’re doing, but to the types of spaces that the community is craving.” The co-op is a space where queer New Yorkers can not only socialize, but also organize for their communities.

“I think what informs a lot of our identity is responding to the political climate and the ongoing erasure of Palestinians and other marginalized identities who are fighting to be represented,” Mustafa said.

BOYFRIEND follows a worker-owned co-operative structure, meaning the space is democratically owned and run by its members. Once hired, workers enter a pre-ownership track and can apply to become an owner after a year at the co-op. The team also hosts financial literacy meetings to keep everyone in the loop about where the business’s money is going.

“Ideally, one day, we’ll be 100% worker-owned. The goal is to give people autonomy over the place they work, and to be financially transparent,” Mustafa said. “I think people, especially in the service industry, don’t get access to that. Our internal community is always trying to educate ourselves.”

Much of BOYFRIEND’s success, Mustafa added, can also be attributed to the generosity of the co-op and queer community.

“There’s so few of us, but we support each other’s work. It’s the camaraderie amongst queer nightlife owners that’s pivotal for success. They’re very willing to share their resources. Sometimes, people have the narrative that we’re competitive, and that could not be farther from the truth. They know how hard it is, so they have been really uplifting and supportive,” she said.

Everything about the space is inclusive by design, from its different seating options to the food and drink options. With an exclusively vegan menu, a robust cocktail list, and hours set for both day and night events, BOYFRIEND stands to be a highly adaptive space to meet queer New Yorkers where they are.

“I feel like the queer community is given crumbs. The spaces that we do have are really amazing, but we deserve to have many options, and options that don’t just center around nightlife,” Mustafa said. “We’ll be more successful as we’re meeting people’s needs. Our identity is rooted in protecting the queer community. If they feel like there’s not a space for them to go, I want them to know they can come here.”

“An Identity of Its Own”

On September 21, BOYFRIEND co-op hosted Lez Night Out’s Lavender Market. As the first of its kind, the event brought in over 450 attendees in total. A lineup of 16 vendors offered items and services like handmade jewelry, zines, and tarot readings.

From queer book clubs to crafting nights, Lez Night Out organizes events by and for COVID-conscious lesbians. At the entrance to the Lavender Market, Brooklyn-based volunteer Mashka Sutton handed out KN95 masks to attendees.

“[Lez Night Out] helped me find a more COVID-conscious queer community, which is really important. Even in 2025, it’s hard to find other people who are on the same level as you in that way,” Sutton said. “Oh, and I just love being a helpful butch.”

Lead event organizer Lottie Valiente’s table was closest to the entrance. Their wares included a collection of buttons with phrases like “boy thing,” “girl thing,” “butch,” and “prettiest girl in the morgue.”

Valiente, donning pastels juxtaposed with a scissor hairclip and battle axe earrings, shared that they prioritized creatives not typically represented at markets.

“We wanted lesbian vendors — specifically disabled [lesbians], lesbians of color, and trans lesbians. We wanted to make sure there was a spot for vendors where there usually isn’t a spot for them,” said Valiente. “I reached out to BOYFRIEND because we did an event here before, and it all came together really well.”

The Lavender Market is among the many queer community events that BOYFRIEND has hosted since its grand opening. As the space bustled with visitors and creators alike, Mustafa reflected on the past five months since the co-op first opened its doors.

“New York is representative of so many different cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, and other identity markers. This isn’t just the programming that I want, it’s the programming that the community wants. To be able to have events from a wide variety of spaces feels really special. It’s developing an identity of its own that’s outside of me,” she says.

Going Steady

There isn’t a dull day at the co-op, if such a thing even exists. This fall, BOYFRIEND is hosting a number of spooky events for the girls, gays, and theys of New York City. So far, they’ve announced several movie nights, a free costume swap, a cosplay party, a choose-your-own vampire lesbian adventure, and a spooky SWANA soirée.

To keep up with all their events coming your way, be sure to check out the official BOYFRIEND co-op website and Instagram.

Interested in reading more about queer cultural experiences? Check out EnVi’s article on AnimeNYC’s must-read queer manga here!