Raging Stallion exclusive Antonio Biaggi has opened an eco-friendly home and gift store in San Francisco ... Eco Boutique ...
Biaggi opened Eco Boutique in San Francisco's Castro District on September 20 ... The store offers a variety of earth-friendly products at affordable prices ... It also serves as a means to educate everyone from the LGBT residents of the area to soccer moms and dads ...
The educational aspect of the store isn't a gimmick ... Biaggi spent most of his time before porn as a multi-lingual tour guide in his native Puerto Rico ... The profession allowed him to share his education and training in history and culture to enrich tourists' experiences on the island ...
Antonio Biaggi: "Not that many young people are interested in history and giving tours. I was only in my 20s - the youngest professional tour guide ever - and I loved it. People are just starting to understand the consequences of global warming and renewable resources. They are only starting to discover eco-friendly products that are budget-friendly, too. They're willing to pay a little more for eco-friendly goods, but not a lot, and what they're really interested in is why and how the products are eco-friendly."
Such as ... most customers are surprised to learn that almost anything can be made from bamboo ... from paper goods to personal hygiene products ...
Antonio Biaggi: "It's one of the world's most perfect plants. Bamboo grows faster than any other grass and produces 30 percent more oxygen than other grasses and trees. My boyfriend and I put in eight to 10 hours a day for nine months researching and going to green festivals in order to find sources for products that are chic and elegant."
Eco Boutique offers appliances, kitchen utensils, pillows, office supplies, dimmable light bulbs and home décor ... As well as organic cleansers, soaps, towels, candles and biodegradable trash bags ... typically found in eco-friendly stores ...
Antonio Biaggi: "It's been doing amazing. Our revenue for the first month was three times what we projected, even with the slow economy. Seventy-five percent of our clients are young, straight couples with children. I expected more people from the gay community, but only about 25 percent of our customers are gay, and most of the gay shoppers are lesbians. The gay boys aren't so interested in their carbon footprints."
Very few of the store's shoppers are one-time visitors ...
Antonio Biaggi: "Customers find something different every time they come in. We bring in something new every month. Because it's a small store, we only have a few of each item, and when they're gone, we may not be able to get them again, at least for a while. We try to restock what sells well, but the candles, for example, take a month to make. I will do my best to get special requests for customers, though."
Biaggi is also adding pet supplies to the inventory ...
Antonio Biaggi: "People buy natural products for their pets and children before they'll buy them for themselves. We'll have pet toys, organic catnip, organic shampoo and other items next month. As a matter of fact, pet items are especially popular with gay men."
Antonio Biaggi plans on retiring from porn at the end of his contract with Raging Stallion Studios to focus on the store and its mission full-time ...
Antonio Biaggi: "I never intended to be a porn star. I dreamed about it, maybe, but when I decided to do it, I jumped into adult [in 2007] for just one year. Then I decided to stay one more year. When my second year is over, I'm going to retire and run the store full-time."
Biaggi plans on adding an e-commerce component to the store's website in January 2009 ... as well as opening a second Eco Boutique next year ...
Eco Boutique
4035 18th St San Francisco, CA 94114
www.shopecoboutique.com
When you go to Eco Boutique ... Tell Antonio, "Papi Chulo sent me" ...
In fact ... try out one of the store's most popular items ... stationery made from recycled elephant excrement ...
Antonio Biaggi: "Even my mom loves the elephant-poo paper."
Eco Boutique will offer panda-poo paper in December ...
~Papi Chulo~
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