Backed by celebrity investors including Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto, the club was billed as "the largest queer-owned and -operated nightlife venue in Manhattan".

[1] It was known for its five distinctly themed rooms and for its entertainment selection, which featured A-list comedians, prominent local drag queens, burlesque acts and jazz bands.

Located on Eighth Avenue near 48th Street in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, the Q was a four-story venue containing five distinct clubbing areas.

[1][3] The top level was an open clubbing space with 20-foot (6.1-meter) ceilings, a suspended catwalk, a high DJ platform and decorative LED screens bearing the venue's emblem.

[1][3][5] In some areas, the walls were adorned with graffiti, queer movie posters and sexual artwork, including a Tom of Finland mural and a drawing of "a buff Ned Flanders from The Simpsons with protruding nipples".

[1][5][6] The Q was originally co-owned by Sharp, an event producer and DJ; Bob Fluet, a co-founder of the Boxers NYC bar chain; and Alan Picus, a party promoter.

[7] Sharp, Fluet and Picus subsequently secured investments from celebrities including Billy Porter, Zachary Quinto, Charlie Carver and Jake Shears.

[3] Excitement over the Q's debut drew press attention throughout the spring,[2][7] with Instinct's Michael Cook calling it "one of the most anticipated nightlife openings in recent memory".

[9][11] The lawsuit also included allegations that Picus "[had] public sex with customers in front of employees, [took] advantage of young gay men, and [made] sexual comments to staff and patrons.

[11] A former Q patron stated to NPR that after a bouncer "caressed her stomach and grabbed her waist in an ... inappropriate way that left her feeling shaken," she was directed to report the incident to Picus, who "[did not] seem to take the accusation seriously and ultimately dismissed all responsibility".

[9][15] Of his own termination, he said that when he brought his concerns to Fluet—including by presenting security footage of Picus engaging in sexual activity with a patron in a public part of the club—he was given the option to either resign with "four percent of net profits for the remainder of the lease and a small cash disbursement in exchange for signing a non-disclosure agreement ('NDA')" or be fired.

[12] Fluet further stated to NPR that he had not been able to keep as close an eye on the Q as he wanted, because he was busy with Hush and Boxers HK, the two other Hell's Kitchen nightlife venues he owns.

[11][15][16][17] In November 2022, local and international media reported that a 33-year-old man, John Umberger, died under suspicious circumstances after leaving the Q with two unidentified men[18] on Memorial Day weekend.

[11] An anonymous source from the venue told WERRRK.com that this was "most likely the result of management missteps, coupled with the inability to recover after the massively poor PR that came from accusations of racism and sexual harassment ... in July of 2022.