When the owners of Davey's Basement, in Mason, decided to pull the Mason High School Gay-Straight Alliance's float during the school's homecoming parade, they didn't expect the town to boycott.
"We no longer have any local shoppers, kids or adults," said Teri Yale, the record store's manager and owner, on 448 S. Jefferson St.
Now the store is hoping to recoup some of their losses with the help of Ann Arbor rock band Minor Planets.
The band is holding an anti-hate benefit concert at Mac's Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing, with bands The Royal Affairs, Sik Sik Nation, Andreyka and The Dardanelles.
Yale said Minor Planets approached the store with the idea in November and have been getting groups together for the concert.
"We all feel very strongly about this issue, so I contacted Davey's Basement to see if there was anything we could do," said Lenny Zenith, band member of Minor Planets.
"I noticed they started losing funds, so I contacted other bands in the area who I knew would be sympathetic to the cause. That's how we got started."
The owners of Davey's Basement, Yale and her husband Ken, have two daughters who attended the Mason High School chapter and were eager to help the group out for the parade.
"We were looking for sponsors for a (Gay-Straight Alliance) group," said Jennifer Harrington, the group's adviser. "They did not financially support us, but they did tow the float for us."
Since then, the reaction from the community has been negative toward the store, Yale said.
"It's been very subtle, nothing like a typical boycott," Yale said. "Kids say their moms tell them they can't go into the gay store."
Davey's Basement has also had eggs thrown at it, but despite the community's reaction, Yale said she's hoping things will quiet down.
The Gay-Straight Alliance chapter at Mason has operated for four years, Harrington said, adding that the homecoming parade was the first time the students made their presence known in the community.
"At the beginning of the club, there was some opposition from about 10 to 15 very strong dissenters," Harrington said. "Since being established, there hasn't been anyone who has stopped us from getting together."
The school would not allow The State News to talk to students, however both Harrington and Yale said the students feel bad about the circumstances.
The principal told Harrington it was the school's policy to not allow media inside the building.
"A couple of kids will approach (Yale) and offer her support at the (benefit concert)," said Harrington.
Zenith said the concert will also feature guest speakers.
A silent auction also will be held featuring items donated by organizations, including Michigan Pride, to the event.
"Someone said that at a time when Michigan needs its businesses to survive, we don't need to be running people out of the state," Zenith said. "To have a community thrive, you need to support your businesses."
