The Woman-Owned Ballard Bar Creating Space for Seattle’s under-represented DJs
Ballard has never really had a true house music spot, until now. When it comes to nightlife, specifically the kind rooted in house music, community, and a sense of belonging, there's been a gap. Roam Bar is filling it.
Opened by Nicole Healy, a born-and-raised Seattleite, Roam was built on the kind of energy you feel in the right room, in the right city, at the right moment.
“In a lot of places, whether it’s a beach in Thailand, a club in London, or a gym in Barcelona, you hear house music bringing people together... That global sound and energy felt like something Seattle deserved more of.”
Built with Intention
Roam is woman-owned, and intentional about it. Nicole has built the venue alongside her brothers, Alex Swetman and Trent Brooks, making it a family-run business grounded in shared accountability and care for both artists and guests. "Any progress or success we've had has only been possible because of the three of us working together," she says.
“When artists leave, they feel proud of what they shared, and when guests leave, they feel like they experienced something meaningful and want to come back.”
The space
The venue itself reflects that spirit. Downstairs is an open, social space with bar games, globally inspired cocktails, and Latin bites. The walls are lined with large paintings of historical and empowered women, created by Nicole's wife. The space works equally well for an early evening drink or a late-night session. Upstairs opens things up further, with an outdoor area and a more relaxed energy for when you want to catch your breath without actually leaving.
But the real draw at Roam isn't just the space. It's what happens in it.
A Platform, Not Just a Party
Roam isn’t trying to be just another bar. Recent changes in Washington state laws created space for more creative, performance-driven venues. Roam stepped into that intentionally with a focus on artists who haven’t always had equal space in nightlife: women DJs, queer and LGBTQ+ artists, and other under-represented creatives alongside a strong local scene.
That shows up in their weekly programming:
Sunday Sessions → open the decks to any DJ looking to practise a new set or get in front of a crowd, with walk-ins welcome to sign up for 30-minute slots
House Guest Thursdays → bring in DJs new to Roam or returning favourites, each spinning two hours of sets to a live crowd.
It’s the kind of place where you can go out but also discover something new!
The House That She Built
One of Roam’s most defining events is The House That She Built: a monthly night dedicated entirely to women DJs in a woman-owned venue. The idea is simple but powerful. Give women a real platform and see what happens (and it’s already working). DJs who’ve played the event have gone on to book other gigs across the city and land recurring spots at Roam.
On April 24, the lineup includes:
Heykelseyj (Kelsey J.)
Heykelseyj a Seattle DJ and multidisciplinary artist working across tech house and melodic techno, with a practice that merges sound, visuals, and environment into something cohesive and immersive.
Farin
Farin is a Seattle DJ whose sets move through classic groovy house, tech, and bass house. She's community-focused by nature, the kind of DJ who thinks about the room as much as the music.
Leah York
Leah York is an Ecuadorian DJ and producer, co-founder of ALTERLATINA, and founder of her own event series, Coffeeton. Her sound pulls from Latin club, underground reggaetón, hard bounce, and Latin house, and she brings international festival experience to a US career she's currently building out.
Yevsa
Yevsa is Ukrainian-born and Seattle-based. Her sets sit somewhere between Afro House, Indie Dance, Tech House, and Deep House, cinematic and emotional in a way that tends to stay with you. She's also the founder of @this.is.obsidian.
At $5 a ticket, it's one of the better ways to spend a Thursday night in Seattle. Grab yours at roambarseattle.com!
Beyond The Venue
What Roam is building goes beyond its own walls. Leah York, one of the artists on the April 24 lineup, is also relaunching her event series Coffeeton at Cafe Calaveras on First Hill, a woman-owned café run by Clarissa Griego.
Roam is planning to collaborate with them, which speaks to something larger: a network of women-owned spaces in Seattle that are actively supporting each other and the artists they platform.
Introducing Roam FM
Roam is also launching Roam FM, a new content channel featuring recorded sets in video and audio format on YouTube and SoundCloud, plus short interview segments on social. You can expect a 10-hour open-to-close set by Chance Sands and an all-night set by Kyle Grant, with Jonah Hohu leading the platform going forward.
For a venue that's already built its reputation on what it feels like to be in the room, Roam FM is the logical next step, a way for that energy to travel beyond Ballard Avenue!
Plan Your Visit
Roam Bar is at 5105 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107.
The House That She Built takes place on April 24. Tickets are $5 (+fees) and can be found at roambarseattle.com.
Follow @roambarseattle on Instagram for event updates and Roam FM content as it drops.
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