Denis Leblanc, proud new co-owner of Priape Inc, whose Montreal store will reopen. Credit: Courtesy Denis Leblanc's Facebook page
Priape’s flagship Montreal store is staying open, but the Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver locations are gone for good.
Denis Leblanc, formerly the general manager at Priape Inc, has announced he is one of two new owners of the company. The other new owner is Stephen Pevner, a New York film and theatre producer, reports Fugues magazine in Montreal.
“As of today around 10:30, I am now co-owner of the new Priape 2.0! Our purchase offer was heard and granted by a Qc Superior Court Judge!” Leblanc announced yesterday, Oct 30, on his Facebook page.
On Oct 21, LeBlanc confirmed the gay retailer has been under bankruptcy protection since June 27. He said that Priape has been struggling since Health Canada demanded retailers take poppers off the shelves.
Now, LeBlanc says the Montreal-based company has been rescued from bankruptcy. However, the company will continue to exist only on Ste Catherine Street in Montreal. The Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver stores will not reopen.
“Our purchase offer was heard and granted by a Quebec Superior Court Judge,” LeBlanc says. He declined to comment further or provide details of the sale, promising a press release “soon.”
When Xtra called, LeBlanc was in the process of reopening the Montreal store. “I am just calling a locksmith now to change all the locks back to what they were,” he says. “We have to change the accounting system. I want the lights to stay on, the phones to stay on. I need the insurance to stay on. I have to call 250 suppliers of stock to tell them I need everything yesterday.”
Customers outside Quebec can continue to buy products online at priape.com.
Xtra is following this story.
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