Renton bar received bomb threat over hosting drag shows

The Brewmaster’s Taproom, located on Benson Road in Renton, received a bomb threat last Saturday via email just before a drag show performance was scheduled. The taproom and other nearby businesses had to be evacuated.

“This isn’t what I signed up for,” Marley Rall, the owner of The Brewmaster’s Taproom, told KIRO Newsradio. “I’m fine with it, but it’s not fair to my neighbors and my family. But they know who I am. So they know I’m not going to stop.”

Rall’s personal residence was also threatened in the email.

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In the end, no bombs were found, but the disruption cost all of the businesses some money.

The profanity-laden email explained the business choosing to host monthly drag queen story time performances was why the bomb threat was sent. An event for Aug. 12 was canceled and rescheduled for later in the month.

“Yes, we had to cancel the event. But we’re actually going be doing the event in two weeks,” Rall told KIRO. “And then we’ll be doing it again on a monthly basis like we always do. So, they didn’t really accomplish anything.”

Rall claimed over the past year and a half, the taproom has received a routine amount of phone calls and emails taking issue with the drag events, according to KING 5. Earlier this year, Renton Police Department (RPD) reported a window of the taproom was damaged “with what appeared to have been a BB or pellet gun.”

“I’m, in general, a huge fan of drag,” Rall told KING 5 earlier this year. “I’m jealous of the amount of confidence they exude and I also understand a lot of what happens comes from pain and for me, it’s important that we build a very inclusive space for everybody and for everybody to feel they can be their true authentic self and so a big thing for me with the LGBTQIA community is that I want them to know we’re an ally and we’re trying in all different ways to be that and one thing I really feel hinders people is when they live and are raised in a very closed situation.”

RPD is continuing its investigation into the bomb threat.