We’ll be open and ready for everyone exploring Pride in Poznań.

As Poznań gets ready to fill the streets with colour, music, and thousands of voices for Pride, there’s one place already becoming part of the city’s new story…

Welcome to Los Maricones — the newest name making noise in Jeżyce on Szamarzewskiego 16.

Founded by Kacper and Arek, the bar has quickly become one of the places to be seen in Poznań. With Kacper also behind Stonewall Poznań, the pair are two of the key people shaping the city’s queer nightlife scene.

But Los Maricones is not just another bar.

It’s about creating a place where people can relax, talk, laugh, flirt, be loud, be quiet, and simply exist without explaining themselves.

We met with the guys (who are genuinely as friendly as everyone says) to talk about the name, the inspiration, Pride, football fans, and why sometimes the smallest places create the biggest communities.

The name “Los Maricones” definitely makes people stop and look. Why choose a word with such a complicated history?

The name is our statement.

We’re opening a bar proudly as a gay couple and creating a place that is largely dedicated to the gay community in Poznań.

Taking words that were used against us and reclaiming them isn’t something new. Arek, together with Stonewall Group, previously did something similar with the Polish word “pedał” — taking away the power it was meant to have as an insult.

Sometimes the best way to defeat a word is to stop being afraid of it.

The name is both serious and funny at the same time. There is humour, distance, and a wink — but putting a sign like that in the middle of Jeżyce is also a clear message.

Were you ever worried it might be too provocative for Poznań?

Not really.

The name creates a clear boundary.

If someone feels uncomfortable with it, maybe this simply isn’t their place.

For our community, Los Maricones means freedom. It means walking through the door and not having to think about how you should behave or what people might think.

No pretending. No apologising.

What does Los Maricones mean to you personally beyond the translation?

For us it’s about changing the meaning of something that was once used to hurt people.

Now it gives strength.

It’s a small victory — with a sense of humour.

What gap in Poznań’s nightlife did you want to fill?

We wanted to create an alternative for people who felt that some places had become too loud, too crowded, too much.

And of course, those places are needed. They have their role.

But not everyone wants the biggest club every weekend.

A lot of people remembered the smaller, more intimate atmosphere of places where you could just sit, talk, and actually meet people.

That’s what Los Maricones is about.

You can come alone, sit at the bar, start talking to someone, and after a few hours realise you somehow know everyone.

That’s the magic of small places.

Do queer spaces still have to choose between being safe and being fun?

Absolutely not.

We’re the best example.

For years, safe spaces were sometimes associated with being overly serious, while fun spaces meant chaos.

We wanted something in between.

Safety doesn’t mean removing fun. It means removing the fear of being judged.

You can laugh, make jokes, dance, flirt, and enjoy yourself — while still feeling comfortable.

Who is Los Maricones really for?

First of all — gay men.

The name already says that.

But of course, our doors are open to the wider queer community and allies who understand our vibe.

Anyone who comes with good energy is welcome.

Who isn’t it for?

Probably people who are uncomfortable with openly masculine queer energy or certain parts of queer culture.

And that’s okay.

Not every place has to be for everyone.

The bar has a very southern European feeling. Where did that come from?

We love Spain.

A lot of the inspiration comes from there — the music, the design, the atmosphere, the whole Latin feeling.

But the biggest inspiration is actually the culture of spending time in bars.

In Spain, people know how to sit somewhere for hours, talk, meet strangers, and enjoy the moment.

That’s what we wanted to bring to Jeżyce.

Was the idea to create a place where people talk, or a place where people stay?

Why not both?

We wanted a place where people actually interact.

And that atmosphere is exactly what makes people stay longer.

What is something guests don’t notice immediately, but feel?

Maybe the biggest thing is that some people walk in without immediately realising it’s a gay bar.

They just experience the atmosphere first.

And that helps people relax.

They feel welcomed without needing to think about it.

You avoided creating a big club atmosphere. Was that intentional?

100%.

The plan from the beginning was to create a bar, not a club.

The location also plays a role. We’re right in Jeżyce, surrounded by apartments and neighbours.

A huge nightclub wouldn’t even make sense here.

We wanted conversations, not just loud music.

What surprised you most since opening?

Lech Poznań fans.

Honestly, that’s probably the biggest surprise.

We’re not far away from football ourselves — Arek especially is a huge Kolejorz fan.

Seeing people come in after a match with scarves and football energy into a gay bar is honestly beautiful.

It’s normality.

Different worlds mixing.

And yes… very Spanish 😂

Do different generations use the space differently?

Definitely.

We see a lot of more mature guests who already experienced the big clubs and are now looking for something different.

Younger guests often come before heading somewhere else.

Older guests make us their destination.

They sit at the bar, talk, stay for hours.

They appreciate the atmosphere.

Did Poznań’s older queer community need more places like this?

Definitely.

Many people were missing smaller, more personal spaces.

Places where you don’t need to shout over music.

Places where you can actually connect.

What’s the best reaction you’ve had from someone visiting for the first time?

One story really stayed with us.

Two guys came in one Sunday afternoon.

One was from Warsaw and had recently moved to Poznań. He was genuinely surprised that two guys had opened a gay bar right below their own apartment.

His friend was from Bilbao.

And he gave us probably the best compliment possible:

“This looks exactly like a small gay bar in Madrid.”

We couldn’t ask for more.

Pride Month is growing every year in Poznań. What role does Los Maricones play?

This will be our first Pride, so we’re approaching it carefully.

We have a lot of ideas, but we also want to build a strong foundation.

Los Maricones isn’t competing with Stonewall.

Lokum Stonewall has its own important role — we’re simply another part of Poznań’s queer map.

We want to add something, not replace anything.

Is there pressure to become “the Pride bar”?

Not really.

Pride is much bigger than one place.

For us, it’s about being another safe and welcoming stop during a city-wide celebration.

Poznań Pride is one of the strongest in Poland and we’re proud to be part of that.

What should people expect from Los Maricones during Pride?

Good atmosphere.

Good people.

A place to recharge.

We’ll be open and ready for everyone exploring Pride in Poznań.

Sometimes the biggest memories aren’t made in the biggest events.

Sometimes they happen in a small bar in Jeżyce.