8
JUSt|OUt
MAY 5, 2006
northwest
AUTOMOTIVE
Kimpton Hotels Become
PFLAG National Sponsor
Kimpton Hotels and Restaurant Group
announced in March that it has become a nation
al sponsor of Parents, Families and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays. Kimpton, which operates
stylish boutique hotels in the
urban core of major cities and
resort areas, has been a sup
porter of local PFLAG chapters
for years.
“Kimpton wants to get
involved with PFLAG nation
ally for the same reason
PFLAG receives the loudest applause at Pride
parades,” says David Paisley of Community
Marketing. “PFLAG is great! These moms and dads
understand that diverse families are strong families,
rhe same way that Kimpton understands that
diverse companies are strong companies.”
Kimpton Hotels was recently honored by the
Metro Washington, D.C., chapter of PFLAG with
its “Excellence Through Diversity” award. The
award is given annually to corporations that
demonstrate a commitment to equality by support
ing its queer employees with policies and support of
the sexual minorities community. “We sponsor
dozens of GLBT organizations across the country,
from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists
Association and National Gay and Lesbian
Chamber of Commerce to at least one HIV chari
ty in every Kimpton city,” says Paisley.
Kimpton was also the first organization in the
hospitality industry to receive a perfect 100 score
on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate
Equality Index. “This year we established a gay and
lesbian section of our customer loyalty program,
InTouch. Gays and lesbians receive special
messages, promotions and incentives, all with a gay
spin,” said Paisley. “I think we are the first hospital
ity company to attempt to identify our gay and
lesbian customers, and then try to serve them even
better!”
Portland is a Kimpton city, offering charm and
comfort in its Fifth Avenue Suites Hotel and Hotel
Vintage Plaza locations.
When Porky’s came up for sale, Lanagan says it
was exactly what he was looking for. From his
experience in business and real estate, Lanagan
knows that North and Northeast Portland has a
significant queer population.
“I want to have a positive impact on Portland’s
scene,” says Lanagan, “and I’m
willing to take some risks to do
that.” Besides making Porky’s a
gay bar, he is “committed to
offering a completely nonsmok
ing bar.” People can expect “less
smoke but more flesh,” accord
ing
to
Lanagan,
and
“considerably stronger Jell-O shots.”
Lanagan is happy to report that he has secured
an incredibly sexy staff. James Ferris from the Eagle
will be managing the pub and will be tending bar
with other “A-list” bartenders. He also says that
Booty, which brings in a sexy crowd on Thursday
nights, will continue unchanged. Lanagan says DJ
Puppet is “an integral part of the bar.” He adds,
“Puppet definitely packs them in."
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Porky's Pub to Become Gay Bar
Come join us for a
Glorious Time at our New Location:
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Porky’s Pub, which is known to be a quirky and
fun queer-friendly joint with g<x)d, cheap drinks, is
about to get a whole lot queerer.
“I understand the need for a dedicated queer bar
in North Portland,” says Pat Lanagan, owner of Fat
Cobra Video. According to Lanagan, who says he
wants to create an environment where men can be
men and women can he women, Porky’s Pub will
be “unapologetically gay."
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eMpjres 6,30,06
Porky's is under new ownership.
Eugene Business Update
Mother Kali’s, which opened in Eugene in
1975, is Oregon’s oldest feminist bookstore. But
even reliable, independent bookstores can learn
new tricks.
Last month, Mother Kali’s moved to its new
location and looks forward to another 30 years of
supporting rhe community. In turn, this move
would never have happened if not for community
support. “We closed the other store in September
and were able to remodel and open the new space
because of the strong community effort,” says the
bookstore’s general manager, Karen Luna.
Mother Kali’s move makes sense. No longer a
textbook retailer, its campus district location
became less beneficial. “Students started buying
and trading textbooks online,” says Luna, “and we
got a sense of what was coming.”
The move to the Meridian Shops at
1849 Willamette St. makes the store more accessi
ble to the larger community of progressive, queer,
women’s spirit and feminist communities. Luna says
people will have access to the store’s “welcoming,
beautiful, sweet new community space” featuring a
fireplace, couches and an aviary. In its new incar
nation, Mother Kali’s is committed to bringing
different aspects of the queer community together.
Dedication to community has allowed Mother
Kali’s to stay open when both San Francisco and Los
Angeles were unable to keep their women’s book
stores open in the face of the omnipresent super
stores. Mother Kali’s is now open seven days a week.
Check out its Web site at www.motherkalis.com for
information on upcoming classes
and speakers.
In other, less inspiring commu
nity news, Neighbors, Eugene’s
popular gay bar, went out of
business in February. Neighbors
was not only a gathering place for
Eugene’s queer community, it was
well-known to the entire commu
nity as a hate-free zone. While
other bars in town are regarded as
gay-friendly, Neighbors, which
hosted the local drag troupe
Shebang for six years, will be
sorely missed. ©