‘Ma and Ma’ Shops Benefit as New York Prepares for Gay Weddings (Bloomberg)
Michael Watts darted from his home in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood on June 24 to the nearby Stonewall Inn, birthplace of the gay-rights movement, to celebrate New York’s legalization of gay marriage. The next day, he tripled the advertising budget of his catering business.
“Congratulations New York! It’s time to start planning,” read the ads that Watts, 39, placed in three gay-oriented publications for Cocktail Caterers, the company he founded in 2005 with his domestic partner, Kurt Kretzschmar. Their decision paid off: The company has received 10 inquiries to feed nuptial guests in the past 10 days, up from three in all of 2010, Watts said in an interview.
Watts is one of dozens of gay business leaders hoping to capitalize on the emerging market for same-sex weddings in New York state, which begin July 24, said Justin Nelson, president of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Gay couples are turning first to their peers in the hunt for florists, event planners and caterers, he said.
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Complete article at Bloomberg : http://bloom.bg/oSvYqg
