Out & About in Newport

The Top Questions for... Stephen Coyne

Stephen Coyne is co-owner of the hot footwear shop Cathers & Coyne on Bowen’s Wharf and recently he was re-elected to the Newport City Council. We met with Stephen at his open, airy shop just before Christmas. In between taking bites of his lunch from 22 Bowens and helping shoppers with fabulous, upscale taste, he answered our questions with characteristic tact and openness.

Q: Congratulations on your re-election to the Newport City Council. What are some of your goals for the next term?

A: I will be focusing on the infrastructure of the city. It’s been 25 years since there were any major investments in things like sewers, roads, sidewalks, storm water, and other mechanisms that play a major role but go relatively unnoticed. These are the issues that can affect public health and they need to be addressed.

Q: Do you ever feel like people put you in a specific niche, expecting you to speak for or represent the concerns of an entire community, in this case, the gay community?

A: I don’t serve Newport as a gay man. Being gay is a part of who I am but it doesn’t define what I think is right and good for all of the residents of the City. I represent people from all walks of life and I try and focus on more broad-based, City issues.

I get calls about all sorts of things; someone out walking their dog and being confronted by a loose pit bull, potholes in the streets, the rising tax rate, the horrible job of placing the lights on the City’s Christmas Tree.

Q: Why do you believe gay travelers should choose Newport for their next vacation?

A: Specifically for gay people, Newport is an open, friendly environment. It’s one of the most cosmopolitan cities on the East Coast of the United States. We get so many people from so many walks of life. Just look at all Newport has to offer; the mansions, cultural events, sports, boating. It’s non-stop. I have never felt excluded from this community because I am gay and any gay tourist should feel welcomed here.

Q: Is there anything you think Newport should be doing to attract more gay visitors? How would you approach that task?

A: Absolutely we should be doing more! I met with the CVB (Convention and Visitors Bureau) to brainstorm about this topic and I am in the midst of working with them to form a core group of gay men and women in the City to determine how we attract gay tourists to Newport, what the demographic of that tourist is, how we find them, etc. I encourage any resident to contact me with ideas that they have regarding this.