Businessness in the Community that Support the Community
South Beach, Male UWear, M2M, Macy’s, Continental Airlines, and more.
FIVE GOLDEN RINGS… Club owner Charles Armstrong and his Charles Armstrong Investments will host the annual Twelve Days of Christmas charitable event on December 18 at South Beach. At that reception, Armstrong presents donations for $1,000 each to 12 community nonprofit organizations (list not announced by press time).
GO WEST Male UWear, Montrose’s premier shop for men’s unmentionables, has opened a second location at 6134 Westheimer, in the Briargrove Plaza. And don’t forget: The annual Male UWear Big Basket drawing, benefiting Bering Omega Community Services, takes place December 20 at its Montrose location, 415 Westheimer, Suite 104. Details: 713/527-8499 · www.maleuwear.com.
Photo caption: Male UWear staffers Jeremy Blake (l), Christian Smith (second from r) and manager Kyle Herring (far r). Tim Wilde (second from l) is Male UWear owner.
M2M MOVES Trendy clothier M2M Fashion will celebrate the new year in grand style at its new location and with a new name. Now known as M2M Style Lounge, the retailer moves to 3407 Montrose Blvd., directly across the street from its former home. The move means a 5,000-square-foot expansion, allowing for more space to house creations from Jean Paul Gauthier, D&G, Hugo Boss and other top designers.
“A grand opening celebration as well as many promotional events will take place in the coming months,” says M2M owner Michael Malik. Details: 713/533-1699 · www.m2mfashion.com.
‘CAUSE-SHOPPING’ RAISES MILLIONS On October 13, Macy’s raised more than $9.5 million nationally through its annual Shop For A Cause charity event, the retail chain has announced. The event was held in all U.S. Macy’s stores and on the Macy’s website to help raise awareness and support for local and regional charity organizations across the United States. Locally, the Center for AIDS and Legacy Community Health Services were two of the beneficiaries.
“It is truly remarkable what can be accomplished when you partner the passion of local charity groups and the generosity of our customers with the reach and enthusiasm of an organization like Macy’s,” Macy’s corporate marketing president Peter Sachse says. “That together we can make an impact of this magnitude in just one day serves as a catalyst and inspiration for future endeavors.” Details: www.macys.com.
VERY FRIENDLY SKIES Houston-based Continental Airlines has signed on as exclusive airline sponsor of New York City-based Out Professionals, the gay and lesbian networking group. The sponsorship combines cash support from Continental with in-kind contributions including airline tickets, according to Out Professionals president Michael Tracy.
With more than 1,200 members nationwide, Out Professionals celebrates its 25th year in 2008. Tracy reports that his group intends to establish chapters next year in Texas, possibly Houston.Details: www.continental.com · www.outprofessionals.org.
WORKPLACE PROTECTION Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has released “Small Business Basics: How Small Businesses Can Create Fair Workplaces for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Employees.” The toolkit is a brand-new resource created to help small businesses provide equal benefits, employment protections, and an inclusive work environment for all their employees.
“Each day over 41 million Americans go to work at small businesses — which face unique challenges and opportunities in addressing diversity and inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender employees,” says Joe Solmonese, HRC president. “By releasing this guide, we provide practical advice to fair-minded small-business owners so they can recruit and retain productive GLBT employees, as their big corporate competitors have done for years.”
To download the guide, log on to www.hrc.org/about_us/small-business.asp.
WHICH ONE ARE YOU? A new study sponsored by New American Dimensions, LLC, and Asterix Group has revealed what motivates purchasing decisions of gays and lesbians.
“This landmark study reveals comprehensive, never-before-released information on the gay and lesbian demographic,” says David Morse, president of New American Dimensions. “We have segmented the LGBT market in all its diversity, revealing a more detailed picture of the gay and lesbian customer, providing highly sought-after insights to mainstream advertisers.”
To identify shopping habits, the study divides the gay and lesbian market demographic into five distinct segments, highlighting a wide range of lifestyles, values, and consumption preferences. The “Super Gays,” the study says, are “educated, sophisticated, activists, and most likely male.” “Habitaters” are described as “serious, responsible, older,” and “likely in a stable relationship.” “Gay Mainstreamers” possess a “high gay identity,” while maintaining a “conservative, low profile.” “Party People” are “youthful, cutting edge” risk-takers who reside in big cities. Those in the “Closeted” category, the survey says, possess the “lowest gay identity,” and are older and single.
The study also finds that more than 70 percent of gay and lesbian consumers are willing to spend more for products developed by companies that support the gay community. Details: www.newamericandimensions.com/lgbt.
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