I can vividly remember the first time I went to Six Degrees. It was about four years ago, I was new to “the scene” and my friend Gianna and I decided to check the place out. I’m pretty sure that as soon as we made our way out to the back patio, we knew we’d found our new hangout. The place was hoppin’. Girls packed the patio so closely you could barely walk, hip-hop blasted from the outdoor speakers and a general sense of friendliness and excitement filled the air. Gianna and I each grabbed a drink from a bartender who I immediately developed a crush on, and we made our way to the bleacher-like seating on the side of the patio. I don’t think we spoke to anyone that night (except a cute barback who Gianna had her eye on); instead, we just took in the exhilarating scene playing out before us: girls dancing to Missy Elliot, girls making out and feeling each other up like teenagers, and friends just happy to be at the local dyke bar sharing the evening in a place that felt like home. It was, in the perfect sense of the word, awesome.

That night marked the first of many memorable experiences at “The Six.” And so it is with a bit of bittersweet nostalgia that I wait for Six Degrees to officially close its doors on Thursday, Aug. 31. Last week, I received an e-mail titled “A Final Email from 6 Degrees” and I couldn’t help but feel sad. For me, Six Degrees has grown to feel like an old friend. You know the kind, the friend that you may not speak to every day or hang with all the time but who you know will always be there for you, no matter what.

And now that is changing. Starting Aug. 31, Six Degrees will no longer be the neighborhood dyke bar you can swing by on your way home from work to grab a beer. It will no longer be the “Cheers”-like spot, where everybody knows your name and you can go cry in your Red Bull and vodka over a girlfriend gone bad. And it will no longer be the spot you go on Sunday afternoons to get a cheap breakfast, bloody Marys and a smile from your friends. It will instead be a rock club, like many others in San Diego, where you may go to check out the latest indie band but you probably won’t find the S.D. Kings Club struttin’ their stuff or Laura Jane hosting a raunchy round of karaoke.

The closing of Six Degrees tells us a few things. First, it says that times are changing, and lesbians and queer folk may not need queer-specific spaces as much as they used to, as they now feel the freedom to go to bars and clubs that embrace gay and straight crowds alike. It may also tell us that queer folk no longer need to meet in dark, alcohol-filled bars in order to find one another, because there are now plenty of other organizations and businesses giving queer peeps a place to connect. These are positive changes.

However, the closing of Six Degrees also shows us that if we don’t support our gay businesses, they will close and cease to exist. In the last year, Six Degrees mostly catered to a few die-hard regulars, finding it hard to draw the crowds they used to. I am as guilty as the next gal of not going down to India Street and patronizing The Six as much as I used to. And now, like everyone else, I am forced to pay the price, as our ol’ favorite dyke bar goes under and we are once again left lacking women-centered spaces in San Diego.

So now, if you’ll indulge me, I’d like to spend a few more moments looking back on some of the great memories I’ve shared with my friends at The Six. One that stands out is a Jell-O wrestling fund-raiser we did for Dyke March a few years back, where I actually got to watch Gianna wrestle a girl with a giant “Daddy’s Boy” tattoo in a pool full of cherry flavored Jell-O (I think you can guess who won). I can remember numerous “buy the shirt off my back” fund-raisers for Dyke March that also took place on The Six’s patio. And I can remember getting up and rapping at an L-Train/Tommy Salami talent show at the bar when I was just beginning to perform as MC Flow. I choked on the words, messed up the lyrics and couldn’t get through my second song, but still felt stoked that I had actually gone up on stage. I even own (or am owned by) a loving cat, Mookie, who was born in the alley outside the bar!

And, of course, there are numerous people who have made Six Degrees the unique place that it is. A few in particular stand out for me: Serena and Darla, who fell in love at Six Degrees and will be getting married next year (I love you, ladies!); Little Jen, who packs a whole lot of energy and love into that small frame of hers; L-Train and Ryanna, who always mixed me the best drinks; and who can forget MC Laura Jane, always there to get some karaoke or open mic session running, and always there to give the best hugs in the world.

I encourage you to get down to Six Degrees before it closes and tell the staff and regulars there how much you’ve appreciated and enjoyed the bar throughout the years. The final week at The Six will be full of special events and guests (see below for details), providing the perfect chance to have one last, big hoorah at the bar before it closes its doors. Six Degrees (and Club Bombay) treated us well over the years, so now it is our turn to express our thanks. Grab your friends, mosey on down to India Street, and make a toast to great times shared! I’ll see you there!

Here’s what’s taking place during The Six’s final days…

Friday, Aug. 18: DJ Tova returns to spin your favorite tunes and keep the dance floor packed.

Saturday, Aug. 19: Long Beach lesbian rocker Jennifer Corday returns for one last performance at the bar. Jennifer has supported both Six Degrees and Club Bombay throughout the years with her high-energy performances, so come on down and enjoy her music!

Thursday, Aug. 24: Lavender Lens magazine presents a Lavender Lens Farewell to Six Degrees Party featuring speed dating, drink specials, a toast to The Six and more.

Don’t miss this party!

Friday-Sunday, Aug. 25-27: The last weekend-long bash at Six Degrees. Friday night will feature a performance from the San Diego Kings. On Saturday, there will be live music followed by DJ Moody. Sunday marks the last breakfast, followed by a final barbecue and a night of karaoke.

Monday, Aug. 28: Laura Jane hosts her last open mic night, and no one is quite as fabulous at getting the crowd going as Laura Jane. This is not a night to be missed!

Wednesday, Aug. 30: This is it, the final night! At the close of this long night of partying with friends, Six Degrees will close its doors to the public. Join in this special night by bringing your friends and toasting to Six Degrees (3175 India St.).

Siren Open Mic is back and taking place on the first Thursday of every month at The Rubber Rose (3812 Ray St. in North Park). The show is now hosted by local activist and performer Emily Foster. Check out the next Siren show, featuring Lauren DeRose, on Sept. 7 at 8:00 p.m. The event is free of charge and open to all ages! For more information, e-mail sirensandiego@bust.com.

Don’t miss the next Lavender Lens Ultra Lounge event, taking place at The Flame on Aug. 19. The event features all female bartenders, DJ Kiki on the main floor, DJ Natacha in the VIP lounge and super-sexy cocktail waitresses. Admission is only $5 before 10:30 p.m. This is one of the hottest ladies’ nights in town!

Dino’s Nightclub & Lounge (3829 30th St.) is the new hot spot on Wednesday nights for Girls Night Out. This is a hip-hop night that draws the cutest girls in town, so don’t forget to check it out!

Until next month, enjoy yourself, enjoy Six Degrees and enjoy the end of summer. Time sure is flying by!