Boystown Gets Block Party Brand

Thanks to Larry Block, resident of West Hollywood since 1987 and owner of the  clothing store in Boystown, the area of Santa Monica Boulevard between Robertson and La Cienega is officially a brand.

T-shirts with the Boystown logo are now in stock at the shop in the old A Different Light bookstore building.

“They came in five days ago and have been selling like crazy,” said Block. “People keep thanking me, saying Weho t-shirts are long overdue.”

The West Hollywood tanks and tees come in a variety of colors, with two different designs: one with palm trees and a surf board reading “FUN” and the other with an emblem of Route 66—the historic highway down Santa Monica Boulevard—in the middle.

So far, Block said it is mostly tourists who are buying the shirts. "The Weho ones are outselling the Boystown ones by far," he said. Locals are interested in both, but haven’t made as many purchases. The reason? They don’t like the cut, Block said.

“The Boystown t-shirts are a basic fit and all the gay men want it in slim fit,” Block said, chuckling to himself. “So we’ve ordered the Boystown shirts in slim fit. We’ll have them in a few weeks,” along with Boystown shot glasses, flip flops and beach towels, he said.

All this Boystown merchandise is part of Block’s plan to get the Boystown area—Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienega and Robertson—officially recognized by the city.

“It’s like there’s an invisible bubble,” Block  told Patch. “They should officially designate it, put up signs announcing: ‘Welcome to Boystown.’”

Block appeared at the March 21 city council meeting to speak about his plan for official designation and plans to be back at Monday’s meeting to talk about it more. He hopes to get the city council to officially designate Boystown in time for June’s gay pride celebration.

“Boystown is the name this part of town has been known by for years,” said Block. “It’s the epicenter of everything gay in Los Angeles. That history and diversity needs to be recognized.”