Ah Men was a clothing store inWest Hollywood which catered to agay male clientele. It was founded in the late 1950s or early 1960s[a] by Jerry Furlow and Don Cook. It specialized in flamboyant styles, including garments made from see-through mesh, form-fitting swimwear, "erotic" underwear, and flowingcaftans.[6] It has been called the first gay retail business in West Hollywood,[1][3] an area which would eventually come to be known as one of the most prominentgay villages in the United States. Ah Men also operated one of the first gaymail order businesses, which it advertised inphysique magazines and other gay-interest publications. Between its retail business, mail-order operations, and manufacturing, Ah Men employed more than fifty people.[1] Its success paved the way for other gay-oriented clothing boutiques in the area such as All American Boy,[5] as well as the similar mail-order businessInternational Male, which debuted in the mid-70s.[1]
It was originally located at 8933Santa Monica Boulevard. In 1972, it relocated to the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard andSan Vicente Boulevard, which is now the site of a bank.[1] In the same year, two other locations were opened, one inSilver Lake, Los Angeles and the other inHouston,Texas.
34°05′04″N118°23′06″W / 34.08441°N 118.38508°W /34.08441; -118.38508