OUR STORY
Two Social didn’t start as a bar.
It started as a feeling.
Long before there were walls, TVs, axe lanes, or a name on the building, there was a community forming on kickball fields around Dayton. Through Gem City Social Sports, I watched strangers turn into teammates, teammates turn into friends, and friends turn into chosen family.
And after games ended, everyone kept asking the same question: “Where are we all going after this?”
FROM THE FIELD TO AN IDEA
Gem City Social Sports began because I was lonely after moving to Ohio and realized how hard it is to make friends as an adult. Over time, that small kickball league grew into multiple sports, multiple nights a week, and hundreds of people showing up consistently — not just to play, but to belong.
What became clear was this: People weren’t just looking for something to do. They were looking for a place to go.
- A place that felt welcoming.
- A place where you didn’t have to know anyone yet.
- A place where connection could continue long after the game ended.
That’s when the idea for Two Social started to take shape.
NOT JUST A BAR —
A CLUBHOUSE
I didn’t want to open a traditional bar. I wanted to create a clubhouse — the adult version of the places we naturally found connection growing up.
Somewhere you could show up in workout clothes after a game, stay for a drink, meet new people, celebrate wins, laugh loudly, and feel like you belonged without trying.
BUILT AROUND
TAKING THE LEAP
In February 2019, after walking through countless empty buildings and imagining what could be, we signed the lease on the space that would eventually become Two Social.
That summer, things were moving quickly. We were deep into the buildout — choosing layouts, dreaming up experiences, learning how much we didn’t know, and figuring it out as we went.
"During that momentum, I convinced my husband — who was also a teacher at the time — to take the leap with me and go all in. We believed deeply in what we were building."
PIVOTING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC
In early 2020, COVID hit. Our buildout was paused indefinitely. Opening dates disappeared. And suddenly, the thing we were building a home for — people coming together — wasn’t allowed to happen at all.
So we pivoted.
We hosted virtual game nights, online activities, and anything we could dream up to keep people connected. We leaned even harder into the why behind Two Social: creating space for people to feel less alone.
That time reinforced that Two Social wasn’t just a physical place. It was a community first.
OPENING THE DOORS
After nearly two years of delays, detours, and learning everything as we went, we finally opened our doors in September 2021. And that original feeling — the one that started as a simple “what if” — became real.
WHAT TWO SOCIAL IS TODAY
- Friends meet after games
- Strangers become teammates
- Birthdays & random Tuesday nights feel special
- Everyone is welcome
It’s where sports leagues spill into social nights. Where laughter matters more than winning. Where connection is always the point.
WHY WE BUILT IT
Two Social exists because adults deserve places that make connection easy again. Places that feel warm instead of intimidating and remind you how good it feels to belong.
Welcome to Two Social. 💛