Photo of Pulp by NCinDCRonald Henderson, owner of 14th Street stationery and gift store Pulp, died Feb. 15 at his home in Provincetown, Mass., of complications related to AIDS and liver cancer. He was 56.
Henderson had lived with AIDS for 25 years, and it informed his work as an activist and educator in his native California, as well as in Washington, D.C., where he was involved with the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. He moved to D.C. in 2001 to work in a government HIV program, but — encouraged by Go Mama Go! proprietor Noi Chudnoff — opened Pulp’s 14th Street location in 2001, according to store manager Beverly Jones. Chudnoff died in 2007.
Jones said Henderson often read aloud the store’s children’s books to the staff. “And if you were feeling down, he’d sing you a song.”
“The whole business started because he just loved to send cards to his friends,” she said.
Jones said Henderson’s husband, Pulp co-owner Paul T. Hempel, plans to keep the D.C. store open, and the Provincetown location will also remain open for now.
Pulp will hold a public memorial for Henderson at the store Friday, March 6, at 7 p.m.
“It’ll be a big party, because Ronald loved fun and he loved his friends,” said Jones.
(H/T to The Sexist)
