This morning I went shopping for my roomate’s birthday. My roomate is a pretty easy girl to shop for. She likes dolphins, rainbows, and novelties geared towards lesbians.
No problem.
So I head down to a place called Unique on Central (Central and Camelback, for those of you who’re familiar with Phoenix), find the store, pull into the parking lot and think to myself Gah, this place seems familiar…
So I park and walk into the store, making my way past the dildos, gay erotica VHS section and “100% Butch” t-shirts towards the card aisle and it suddenly hits me… I used to attend church here!!
Yes, that’s right… a number of years ago my mother used to drag me to this very building and through these very doors every Sunday morning. I believe it was a Calvary Chapel back then.
And right after I realized that I was, in fact, standing in the middle of what used to be the fellowship hall, staring at little beanie babies with huge furry penises, I thought to myself…
I wonder if they got to keep the rainbows from the childrens ministry.
(In case you wondered, I ended up buying her a journal, a dolphin pen, a little pride bear and card with two girls leaning over from seperate cars, engaged in a kiss… and on the inside it says “Omigawd, they’re LESBIANS!” I think she’ll like it.)
Have you SEEN these things?! They’re insane. When I was in Hollywood I visited Don’t Panic and they had an entire wall of them. I walked towards it thinking “Oh, cute… rainbow colored beanie ba—AHHHH!!!”
Well. Now that you mention it, I think it does look like an old church if it’s the one I’m thinking of – is that the one that has the little video store and the tea room and all the buildings with the really low ceilings?
I was only vaguely cognizant that it was a gay novelty store and I used to go by it regularly. I wonder, do gay novelty stores always blend in so well that people aren’t even aware of what they are?
It might be. It’s on the West side of Central Ave, In between Camelback and Highland.
Red roofs, several little buildings clumped together with a large domed sort of building in the center (I believe this is a flower shop)
It does blend in from the street because it’s set in the back of this little shopping area, but I think you’d know if you walked by. There are rainbows, pink triangles and half nekked men in the window.
Oh, I love it. There’s an unused church on St Denis and Viger, rather close to the village, that I have this recurring dream of buying and turning into a gay disco/sauna/entertainment complex. It will be called “Amen”. Wotdya think?
I once went to a scary church with a friend from school. It’s now a guns 'n ammo/ army surplus store. Keeping with its original militant atmosphere, I guess.
I think that turning a “house of god” into a place that’s loving and accepting of all people and offers teddybears in rainbow colored sweaters is a good and noble course of action and I would totally shop there were I ever in the area. =)
