Business News

Business News: July 2007

IKEA wins with gay ad, Of Course! Catering, the Schrader Clinic, Eastman Gallery, Glass Menagerie, John Nagy and Sand Dollar GM Autoplex, Johnny Hooks at TUTS.

IKEAS
IKEA's award-winning commercial.

IKEA, GOLD + WILLIAMS BIG WINNERS The über-diverse IKEA furniture store has received a top industry prize for its inclusive advertising. In a ceremony held on June 11, the Commercial Closet Association chose IKEA in the Outstanding Commercial category. “Living Room,” produced by the advertising agency Deutsch, includes a same-sex couple depicted with their daughter. • Additionally, in-house ad for Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, featuring a gay male couple relaxing on their Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams furniture, won the Outstanding Print Ad (Appearing in Mainstream Media) category. • The Commercial Closet Association aims to educate advertisers about GLBT references for a more accepting society and successful business results. Winning ads can be viewed at www.commercialcloset.com/winners. • In Houston, IKEA is located at 7810 Katy Frwy. (713/688-7867, www.ikea.com). Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams (www.mitchellgold.com) plans to open a store soon at 3303 Kirby Dr. The furniture retailer, founded by partners Gold and Williams in 1989, also sells merchandise in Houston through High Fashion Home (3100 Travis, 713/528-3838, www.highfashionhome.com).

OF COURSE! NOT Since 2001, Harold Kelly, former president of the Greater Houston GLBT Chamber of Commerce, had provided Houston tasty hors d’oeuvre and more through his Of Course! Catering. But as of May 1, Kelly closed the doors of the business. In an e-mail statement to customers, Kelly wrote, “My health and well being has taken a top priority for me at this time of my life. I am going to go do what has been in my heart to do for a long time now…go be of service to humanity.” • During its six-year run, Of Course! Catering was named one of Houston’s Top 25 Catering Companies by the Houston Business Journal.   

DHarvey
Donnie Harvey joins the Schrader Clinic.

FREE TESTING The Schrader Clinic, in collaboration with Houston Area Community Services, has announced it is offering free, anonymous, and confidential HIV and sexually-transmitted disease testing, performed by certified counselors every Friday afternoon between 1 and 3 p.m. at the clinic office (4101 Greenbriar, Suite 200). No appointment is required. • While you’re there, say hello to Donnie Harvey (pictured), MPAS, PA-C. He recently joined Shannon Schrader, M.D., and his staff at the clinic, which consistently garners annual accolades from OutSmart readers as one of Gayest & Greatest health-care providers. Details: 713/526-1717.

FRIDA BE YOU & ME & EASTMAN This month, Eastman Gallery has plenty to celebrate. • Proprietor Richard Eastman and staff — which includes new gallery director Tony Briones — have moved the gallery to its new location at 1110 N. Post Oak Rd., Suite 310 (713/802-8828). Eastman opens his new space with Summer Emotions, an exhibition by nearly 40 local artists, on July 5 with a 6 p.m. grand-opening reception. • On July 7, Eastman Gallery follows the opening with a Frida Fest. The 2–8 p.m. event celebrates the birth date of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, highlighting more than 1,000 pieces of artwork, jewelry, art glass, and textiles, with a celebratory after-party following the fest. • The following Friday, July 13, the gallery hosts an evening with the artists who contributed to Summer Emotions. Details: www.eastmangallery.com.

MARKETING WITH DIGNITY The women of Glass Menagerie are keeping abundantly busy these days. • Following their highly visible pride presence at the recent Chances mini-festival hawking their commemorative Pride Houston 2007 key ring, owners Deb Murphy and Bonnie Russell travel to Austin to participate in the July 5–7 national convention of Dignity USA, the organization of GLBT Catholics. • Locally, you can pick up Glass Menagerie’s cool GLBT-centric merchandise at Male U-Wear (415 Westheimer, 713/527-8499) or Gloria Silva’s Salon Marquise & Boutique (3637 W. Alabama, Suite 450).

JNagy
John Nagy of Sand Dollar GM Autoplex

ISLAND RIDES John Nagy of Sand Dollar GM Autoplex (8020 Broadway) was recognized as May’s top sales consultant at the Galveston-based dealership. Nagy contributes his success to “an incredible gay following” both in Houston and in Galveston. “OutSmart advertising is also to be credited for making the gay community aware they have someone they can trust and shop without intimidation,” says Nagy, a former account executive at OutSmart.

The Sand Dollar GM phone numbers are 409/744-5711 (Galveston), 713/350-0920 (Houston), and toll-free 800/299-5711. The website is www.sanddollarauto.com.

SIGN UP FOR TUTS Former “Miss Everything” for the now-defunct Houston Voice, Johnny Hooks, tells us he is now editing Starmail, the weekly e-mail blast from Theatre Under The Stars (www.tuts.com). • “I am loving my ‘new’ job at TUTS and wanted to tell everyone to sign up for StarMail so you can keep up with what is happening here,” Hooks says. • To join, sign up at http://paciolan.myprefs.com/?@starmail&p2p=Signup.

Send your business news to
OutSmart, 3406 Audubon Place, Houston, TX 77006,
or e-mail to [email protected].

Comments

Leave a Review or Comment

Back to top button