the queer-owned gift shop getting louder and prouder in trump’s america.
I interviewed the owners of Bad Luck Club, which is opening soon in Batavia.
Queering the Burbs is a distillation of pop culture, politics and queerness published twice weekly by Joe Erbentraut. If you like what you see, please consider subscribing (many posts are free!), liking or sharing this piece, checking out my zines and merch, or buying me a coffee.
When you’re living under this era of political fascism and cruelty as someone who is queer, trans, or otherwise marginalized, it can be tempting to fly that freak flag of ours a little bit lower. Voices getting a little quieter, spirits shining less brightly, bodies flinching in anticipation of a strike, retreating into the shadows as a matter of safety and survival.
But then there’s others among us who are doing the opposite and refusing to dim their light despite there being many reasons where it’d be entirely understandable if they did. Trevor and Dillon, the co-owners of Bad Luck Club, are an example of the latter. The couple opened their brick-and-mortar gift and vintage shop in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood in 2024 as an extension of their love for maximalist interiors and all things just a little bit off-kilter.
The shop’s unique mix of products—everything from delightfully bedazzled lighters and stylish fish bags to “Butt Frog” mugs and a seemingly endless supply of porcelain cats—has earned the shop a loyal following of fans that now has the couple thinking bigger than their intimate store on Chicago’s north side. The business will soon open a second location in Batavia as part of Batavia MainStreet’s successful Batavia Boardwalk Shops program.
The initiative, now entering its seventh season, is a business incubator program that allows startups to put their business ideas to the test and, if all goes well, transition into a year-round brick-and-mortar business. The incredibly tasty New Moon Vegan among many others have managed to do just that, helping to reinvigorate our suburban town along the way.
Beginning May 8 and continuing through December 20, Bad Luck Club’s new Batavia outpost will be among the program’s newest participants. Its owners told me in a recent interview that they don’t really plan to tweak their vocally pro-queer, progressive aesthetic and values despite the new store’s suburban surroundings.
“Now’s the time to be loud, especially since we have this platform,” Trevor said. “We want to make sure that we’re doing as much as we can to not only support our queer community, but also other marginalized communities as well.”
Read on to learn more about Bad Luck Club and its owners. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
You opened your original Bad Luck Club location in Chicago in 2024. What was the inspiration behind opening as a brick-and-mortar business?
T: We used to make our own acrylic goods and we had a laser cutter, so we would make fun earrings and mirrors that were kind of Drag Race inspired with fun quotes on them. We did markets and would meet a bunch of different people, and we always said that it would be nice to have our own store, but we never thought that that would actually become a reality.
We sold the laser cutter and then we found the space that we’re currently in on Facebook randomly and everything just kind of fell into place from there. It was kind of a dream that we thought wouldn’t be achievable, just like, oh, that would be a fun thing to do—and we made it happen.
How do you describe the shop and what you can find there to the uninitiated?
D: We like to pair things that typically may not necessarily go together. We have a bunch of vintage and new stuff that’s paired together and it’s very much an eclectic mix. Some of the stuff is from local artists and businesses, so we try to find unique local stuff first and then we bring in the rest based on what we like and things that we feel are missing from other sorts of retail spaces. We have a very intense style, even at our place. It’s very maximalist. So we’re both hunting for unique and fun items that we don’t typically see around.
Were you nervous to be opening a brick-and-mortar retail shop at a time when so many people are mainly shopping online?
D: We were nervous and I feel like we’re still kind of nervous. We’re in this kind of weird pocket in Ravenswood on Montrose and there isn’t any retail or restaurants immediately next to us. But over the time of being open, this little community that we’ve created here is nice and it’s very gratifying knowing that people were missing something like this in the neighborhood. That has restored our faith in making the decision to open.
And now you’re opening up this second location in Batavia, as part of the Batavia Boardwalk Shops. How did this come to be?
T: We do a few different markets around the city and also in Wisconsin and the person who was next to us at one of them, her name’s Ashley, is also going to be at the Boardwalk Shops. Her business is Paper Love Collective. It’s a stationary store and she was telling me that she was applying for it and she was saying that our shop would do good out there and that she felt like the suburbs were missing what Bad Luck Club has.
After that, Dillon and I chatted. We really liked the idea of the Boardwalk Shops and we drove to Batavia before we even applied to see what the shops and the town were about. We applied and then after the interview, everyone who was on the panel was really welcoming and excited about the opportunity to bring Bad Luck Club out to Batavia.
What are you most looking forward to with opening the Batavia shop? Are you taking a different approach to your product mix than the city location or not really?
D: I’m excited just to see the reaction of people in Batavia and to see how the shop is perceived. It’s very similar to the setup and aesthetic of the Chicago shop. We have some stuff in the Chicago shop that’s on the risque end, so I think we might tone it down a little bit, but we definitely are going to still have very queer and bold stuff in the Batavia shop.
What was the journey like coming out and coming to terms with being queer growing up, for both of you?
D: We both come from small towns. I am from Central Illinois and Trevor’s from Northwest Indiana. So, it was a small town mindset and I just always felt like I was a little different and never fit in with that demographic. I think, for me, having the shop and being able to be so expressive with it has definitely fulfilled some things that were missing and helped me connect with other people. I didn’t go into this really expecting to get this out of it, but it’s been a very pleasant surprise for me. It has been really rewarding.
T: Growing up in a small farm town, there really wasn’t much queer representation. So it’s nice that when parents bring in their kids or younger folks come in and they kind of see that, oh, there’s two queer folks who are running this store or if a kid’s in the store with a parent and they’re like, “Oh, what’s this?” and there’s two guys kissing on a print, it’s not something that they’re scared of in a sense. They’re like, oh yeah, that’s normal. It’s being embraced in a sense, so that’s been nice.
How did you two meet? Is it difficult working with your partner?
T: We met on Tinder 11 years ago and we started long distance at first and then two-ish years into the relationship, we started living together. When it comes to the business side of things, Dillon’s more of the creative and I feel like I’m more of the operational mindset person. So we kind of compliment each other in that aspect. I would say it’s been nice doing business together. There are stressful moments with any type of business relationship, whether you’re dating them or not, but it’s been good. We definitely listen to each other and bounce ideas off of one another.
D: I feel like we’re like each other’s missing pieces. I would not thrive in Trevor’s area and I think vice versa. So it’s nice to just be confident in our own thing and be able to work so well together. And then I think just being in a relationship and being in the business together, we’re able to just have open discussions about whatever and not really get complicated.
With the current political climate being what it is, have you felt tempted to retreat a bit from being so bold and out there, or are you feeling nudged in the opposite direction?
D: I think the climate has made us feel more committed to being queer and very out there and in what we carry. Not being in Batavia, we’re a little unsure of how far we can go, but I think it’s important to not tone it back, especially for the queer community that’s in Batavia.
T: We’re looking forward to bringing some queer representation to a smaller town, especially in a time where people feel like being quiet is kind of the way to go. We’re kind of the opposite in that.
For more words from queer folks out here doing the work in the western ‘burbs and beyond, read my previous interviews with Batavia artist Annie Hex, Aurora organizer Javi, the organizers of Geneva Pride, Paramount Theatre artistic director Jim Corti, Aurora trans activist Penelope Torres, North Aurora musician Katie Bogle, Hoof & Horn’s Jarrod Johnson and Adrian Xavier Frost, Batavia activist Scott Naylor, Youth Outlook’s Carolyn Wahlskog, Ramshackle Farm’s Shannon and Eve Mingalone, Batavia’s LH, Aurora activist Fred Yanos, On Point Nails’ Hailey Conran, Batavia’s Martin Beirne, Naperville’s Beverly Trafton, Batavia’s Rhiannon Hammer, Aurora’s Myles Barnes, and Geneva’s Julie Forbes.
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OF NOTE
Got some queer news relevant to the Fox Valley and surrounding area to share? Reach out in the comments or you can shoot me an email at queeringtheburbszine@gmail.com.
This Sunday, May 3, Batavia’s Sturdy Shelter Brewing is hosting a Becoming Neighbors Community Conversation centered on helping LGBTQ+ allies be better supporters to the queer and trans people in their lives and communities. I’ll be one of four panelists speaking at the event, which goes from 3-5 p.m. More details available here.
Belong: Fox Valley is now offering up Pride flag yard signs that you can order and show your support for the community. They are available for $20 and information on how to get your hands on one is available here.
SONG OF THE RIGHT-NOW
I’ve been on something of an electronic music kick the past week, especially on the heels of seeing French artist Oklou bring her Choke Enough tour to Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater last weekend. The venue was filled to capacity with they/thems and he/theys who couldn’t get enough of the spacy, airy vibes. I’ve also been listening to a lot of Tiffany Day, an LA-based singer-songwriter whose brilliant debut album HALO just dropped and whose original claim to fame according to her Wikipedia, no joke, was singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” into a well in Italy in a viral internet video.
Day’s come a long way since then. HALO has no skips and is wall-to-wall hyperpop-infused bangers, but I’m especially enjoying “Start Over,” which I can almost guarantee will transport you to the club no matter how bad of a mood you’re in.
He’s showing up in my dreams
It doesn’t mean anything
Unless I want it, I-I-I
Unless I want it to
Love this!
I can’t wait to shop at this beautiful store. What a lovely interview ✨