Brushstrokes Celebrates 22 Years in Business

Midtown's gay variety store is celebrating its 22nd anniversary.

“We began this store in a tiny hallway space on Highland Avenue on Dec. 1, 1989 with greeting cards, T-shirts and a tanning bed," Mark Jackson and Tom Schloeder, co-owners of Brushstrokes, said in a release.

"We have expanded and moved it three times, and now occupy 4,500 square feet of retail space in two stores in Atlanta’s Ansley Square mall."

Gay-owned and operated, Brushstrokes off Piedmont Avenue stocks around 40,000 items such as T-shirts, greeting cards, DVDs and gifts. Five doors down, Jackson and Schloeder operate a second store that sells and rents adult DVDs, magazines and books. Products are sold online as well.

“We have changed our merchandise mix to stay current and weathered the general downturn in the U.S. economy," the owners said. "Who would have thought five years ago that underwear would be one of our bigger sales lines? But today it is."

To celebrate its anniversary, Brushstrokes has placed ads in local magazines and newspapers. Bring in the ad and 20 percent of your purchase will be donated to two local charities: Jerusalem House, which provides housing for homeless or low-income people with HIV/AIDS, and P.A.L.S., which provides pet care and food to needy senior citizens and disabled persons.