Buy With Pride
Support LGBTQ + -owned businesses all year long .
MISTER SISTER
THIS WICKENDEN STREET erotica shop has been proudly queer-owned since opening in 2008 .
“ We were founded as a space for queer people ,” says owner Robert McAuslan . “ I joke that we ’ re a safe space for straight people , but the store isn ’ t curated to their needs necessarily . That ’ s not to exclude anyone or make anyone feel bad . But it means we ’ re looking for products that are going to help nonbinary folks , or are from queer-made companies , women-owned companies .”
In addition to stocking goodies ( the store ’ s motto : “ More toys than the devil ’ s got sinners ”) for all genders , bodies and sexual expressions , the store also carries locally made pottery , cards and jewelry as well as blossoms from nearby Four Buds Floral and scents from Earthtones Metaphysical Shop . They started stocking free menstrual products on their doorstep during the pandemic , a tradition that ’ s continued ever since . More often than not , neighboring businesses and residents step in to fill the bin when it ’ s empty , McAuslan says .
Community involvement — both with the LGBTQ + community and with the Fox Point neighborhood — is something McAuslan takes seriously .
“ You ’ re not just a building in a neighborhood ,” he says . “ You ’ re a part of that neighborhood . How do you curate yourself and actually contribute to your community versus just consuming your community ?” 268 Wickenden St ., Providence , 421-6969 , instagram . com / mister _ sister _ providence _ — D . L .
FOUR BUDS FLORAL STUDIO
THE FOUR “ BUDS ” behind Rhode Island ’ s first — and only — worker-owned flower shop wanted a healthy , thriving workplace that fostered a sense of community and gave them a sense of control . So they created it themselves .
The four owners — who all met at a Providence floral studio — took their combined five decades of experience , applied for a loan , and set up shop across town in the old City Gardens on Wickenden Street when the longtime owner retired .
“ We ’ re the perfect team ,” says L . Villegas , one of the owners . “ We all have different strengths and different experiences to bring to the table .”
The shop will celebrate its first anniversary in July , and the owners take pride in offering an inclusive space where all genders , sexes and orientations feel comfortable . They also try to highlight as many local , queer-owned and Black-owned small businesses as possible .
“ It ’ s really important to us that it ’ s not just a profit-driven business but it ’ s also a resource and a community space ,” Villegas says .
They ’ re also trying to diversify their wedding offerings . An online questionnaire , for example , uses inclusive language instead
Shawn Malisz , below left , and Jordan Ford of
Jordan ’ s Jungle in Pawtucket .
More Queer-Owned Businesses
Angels Collective 226 Broadway , Providence , angelscollectiveri . com
Earthtones Metaphysical Shop 103 Wickenden St ., Providence , 648-7505 , earthtonesshop . com
Hawt Chocolate hawtchocolatepvd . com
Jordan ’ s Jungle 545 Pawtucket Ave ., Pawtucket , 475-0100 , jordansjungle . net
Little Gold 24 Franklin St ., Newport , 594-9244 , littlegoldnpt . com
New Age Barbering Company 8 Freebody St ., Newport , 324-5494 , instagram . com / newagebarberingco
Rhode Island Spirits 40 Bayley St ., Pawtucket , 856-4111 , rhodeislandspirits . com
watUlike 194 Hillside Ave ., Pawtucket , instagram . com / watulikeri
of the traditional “ bride ” and “ groom ” labels .
“ We ’ re definitely more open to nontraditional weddings and we ’ re really excited to work with couples that are not your supertraditional couples ,” Villegas says . “ We ’ re very excited about bringing something a little bit different to the wedding industry .” 284 Wickenden St ., Providence , 351-1775 , fourbudsfloral . com — D . L . 🆁
PHOTOGRAPHY ( FROM FAR LEFT , OPPOSITE PAGE ): COURTESY OF RI PRIDE ; COURTESY OF PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY LGBTQ + COMMUNITY ARCHIVES . ( THIS PAGE ): COURTESY OF JORDAN ’ S JUNGLE .
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JUNE 2024 71