Every study has shown the major influence of LGBT spending power and the impact of LGBT Americans. A recent Nielson Study showed 10 percent more shopping trips are made by gay consumers than straight customers; 48 percent more money is spent by gay households on wine than straight households; 31 percent more money is spent on candles and incense by gays than straights; 43 percent more money is spent on computer and electronic products by gays than straight households; 27 percent more money is spent on fresheners and deodorizers by LGBT households than straights; 32 percent more money is spent on men’s toiletries by gay men than straight; 19 percent more money is spent on coffee by LGBT people than straights. $4,135 is the additional amount of money on average that LGBT households spend at retail stores over their straight peers in 2014. That is 7 percent more.
Alano Club vs. “Pot Store”
When I heard that a marijuana store had opened up right on top of The Alano Club (an LGBT alcohol and drug recovery organization) I thought that the person who told me this story had just smoked a joint himself, but sure enough when I drove by The Alano Club there now on the second floor was a newly minted marijuana store!
Sure enough, soon I got a call from some understandably upset club board members who asked for my help and of course I met with them one afternoon at the club. And yes, at times you could smell the scent of marijuana coming down from upstairs. There have also been reports of some unsavory people beginning to hang around.
First of all, what a jerk could the buildings landlord be to rent out the top floor to a weed business knowing that their long time tenants were The Alano Club. What a complete ***hole! Well, of course our hard working councilman Todd Gloria was on this case immediately as was our police chief, Shelly Zimmerman.
It took some months, but finally the pot shop was closed down because of some shady doings and very warranted police citations and yes some arrests.
Let me make it very clear, I support the legalization of marijuana (2016 State ballot) but now even more clearly I understand the concerns of some neighborhood leaders and schools, etc. This should have never happened. The Alano Club and pot shops should all be in a totally different business area. A big thank you to Todd Gloria and Chief Zimmerman and when it came down to The Alano Club vs. the Pot Store … Thank goodness the club one!
Boston strong
This year I have travelled to Houston, Denver, San Francisco (three times), New York, Phoenix, Corpus Christi, Surrey (Canada), Salt Lake City, New Mexico, Kentucky, Boise, Hamilton, Ontario (Canada), Indiana, Portland, Washington, D.C. (five times) and numerous cities in California. This past weekend I returned to the beautiful and historic city of Boston. The end of my travels and speech making for the year. I have always loved Boston, it’s the home of the Kennedy Presidential Library and such historic sites as The Boston Tea Party! And of course some of the best seafood in the country – Legal Seafood and B&G Oyster I highly recommend.
I had the honor of presenting awards to Councilwoman Michelle Wu, former Councilman Carl Sciortino, Jonathan Scott of Boston’s own Victory Programs and Scott Gortikov (Freedom to Marry). My host was local top fashion designer and businessman, Daniel Faucher.
I always love taking in Boston’s many grand historic buildings and churches, especially the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, home of Cardinal O’Malley.
The LGBT community of Boston is a very large one and well organized. I was truly humbled and surprised with two very special honors. The Town Council of Braintree, Mass. gave me a city proclamation making me an “Honorary Citizen” (thank you President Thomas Bowes) and The Imperial Court of Massachusetts named their LGBT Student Scholarship after me. For once, I was speechless!
Christmas Wreath Auction
The biggest fun and fabulous holiday charity event is coming up Monday, Dec. 7. Yes, the annual Christmas Wreath Auction at the award winning Martini’s on Fourth restaurant and nightclub.
It’s always a great event with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the Eddie Conlon GLBT Youth Fund that makes such a difference in the lives of our young people in need. Thank you Martini’s on Fourth and see you all there Dec. 7!
You know Nicole, I witnessed MANY unsavory people hanging around The Alano Club and they were smoking cigarettes in droves. It’s disgusting! The folks at The Alano Club would be better off smoking marijuana than cigarettes — don’t you agree?
And since you up on your high horse, calling people shady, I think you need a reality check. The only thing shady about what went down, was The Alano Club running to you and Gloria, the notoriously power-hungry in the LGBT neighborhoods. WAKE UP NICOLE! The folks smoking cigarettes outside at The Alano Club are trying to abstain from alcohol and they would greatly benefit from medical marijuana. It’s not rocket science.
It’s obvious you contributed to The Alano Club’s unsavory agenda as they are deeply afraid marijuana will help their people, leaving their own little recipe for overcoming alcoholism void… and good bye The Alano Club! That’s the real fear and the real issue — and you just fed into it.
The Alano Club is just propping up an antiquated model of helping alcoholics and it will eventually be replaced. Alcohol ruins peoples lives, marijuana saves. Or did you forget that?