Love leads Lary to sell Just 4 Us

FERNDALE – With the nation's economy crippled and still reeling from war, lots of small business owners are calling it quits. But Michael Lary's reason for selling Just 4 Us book and gift shop in Ferndale is even more important than money. He's in love.
Nearly two years ago, Lary met a special man who happens to live in Toluca, Mexico.
"We've been courting each other since then," said Lary. "His name is Miguel Colis. He works for the General Motors Tech Center in Toluca. I'm going there for a couple months to be him, and his goal is to be transferred here so we can continue on with this relationship, as well as his professional career."
But to continue with his relationship, Lary must let go of his business. Lary opened Just 4 Us, with minority partner Ken Warnock, in 1997. By then, he was already a powerful presence in Detroit's LGBT community.
"Every goal I've ever set I've accomplished so far," said Lary. "I organized PrideFest for 10 years, the South East Michigan Pride Film Festival for eight years and the ComedyFest for three years. Now, it's time to move on. I feel that I've done more than my part. I feel like I've contributed a lot to this community, and I just feel like it's time to move onto something better, whether it's here or elsewhere is of no relevance to me. The only thing that's important to me right now is that I'm deeply in love with someone who is deeply in love with me."
Luckily for Lary's customers, he found someone deeply in love with the idea of taking over his business. Local activist Kevin Rogers, a past president of Friends and Neighbors of Ferndale and one of the leading proponents of Ferndale's failed human rights ordinance campaign of 1999, first discussed the idea of buying Just 4 Us three year ago. But Lary wasn't ready to sell. Now that he is, Rogers, along with his partner David Kress, and fellow activist Joann Willcock and her husband Richard, quickly stepped up to seal the deal.
"We're delighted," said Rogers, who brings 20 years of retail experience to the business venture. "I can't say that enough. This has been my dream for three years now and I've not let it go. I kept saying one day it will happen, and Monday, Feb. 2 is that day."
Rogers said he and his partners plan to expand on what Lary has created, specifically the card section of the store ("We plan to bring in some mainstream cards. We feel with the closing of F&M across the street, the downtown Ferndale area doesn't have a place where folks can go to buy a card"), the gift area and the magazine section ("We have been told since we agreed to purchase the store – from several folks in the area – that Just 4 Us has the best selection of magazines so we're going to expand that, too!").
And Lary, well, he plans to expand his horizons.
"A lot of people have said, 'Aren't you sad or scared?'" said Lary, standing behind the counter of the store he founded and designed from scratch, and will walk away from at the end of this month. "I'm excited. I get excited about the idea of a new transition in my life. My goal with the store was to create a safe haven and a positive expression … a place where folks could walk in and not feel dirty or ashamed of who they are. It's a place for friends to get together and have a cup of coffee and enjoy their friendship."
As if on cue, a customer walked into the store just then and proceeded directly behind the counter to give Lary a hug.
"I'll think about you all the time," she said, squeezing him tightly.
"This store has helped me meet people continuously," said Lary, obviously touched but not at all deterred from his plans to leave. "You continuously make friends here all the time."
It's a tradition that Rogers and his partners want to see continue. They have developed a new slogan for the store: "Just 4 Us wants to be Just 4 You!"
"I believe if you're friendly to people and treat them well while they're in your store, they'll come back," said Rogers. "I really want it to be a community store."