Perth Voice Interactive

The owner of a Beaufort Street convenience and smoking accessories store is feeling the heat from some local reaction.

Since opening Lucky 9 and Cloud 9 under one roof on May 1, the owner, who did not want his name used, says he’s had visits from the WA police, WA health department and Vincent city council.

“This one old lady keeps phoning everyone up and saying that we’re selling drugs,” he told the Perth Voice. “It’s absolute rubbish, all we sell is legal smoke accessories in the Cloud 9 area of the store.

“She came in and racially abused me, it’s disgusting. I’m open and non-discriminatory.

“I painted the front of my store with a rainbow in support of gay people—that was a deliberate statement.”

The owner says the only way he and his partners could afford the rent was to have the two stores under one roof.

He claims to have spent $450,000 on fitting out the shop, which includes a convenience store, café and ornate flower shed. “Under advice from the health department we blocked off the Cloud 9 area of the shop and put up an over-18s sign,” he says.

“The bongs are all in glass cabinets so you can’t see much from the convenience store.

“I spent a fortune setting up a beautiful flower shed at the back—the locals love it.”

But another local resident who has not spoken to the owner says it is disgraceful the council allowed Cloud 9 to open.

“Do they not care about our youth or the reputation of our area,” she wrote to the Perth Voice. “To me it is unconscionable to allow such a business to operate.”

The store owner, 32, says he was born in Australia and isn’t judgemental.

“I don’t judge people who come into the Cloud 9 store.

“There are three sex shops and a tobacco store down the road, so [the focus] on our place is bizarre.

“I’m starting to feel a bit persecuted—we’ve spent a lot of my money opening this business and really want to make it work.

“The rents are so high—we had to try something a bit different.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK