Even before EF I noticed how lacking the store in my town was. It definitely has the creepy guy behind the counter and florescent lighting, not to mention it's so small and cramped. They stock more porn then anything else, so there's not a ton of room left for the toys. And the people who work there don't even try to be helpful, so it's really every man (or woman) for himself. Have a question? Too bad. Read the box and figure it out yourself.

Now I feel spoiled with all the products and information here

I like going into stores. Maybe because it's taboo? I like seeing the things but I rarely buy because I usually am thinking "I can get this cheaper online" or "This is such a crappy toy." Plus, brick and mortar shops just don't have the selection. I like to have options

Oh but the fun you can have with the creeps behind the counter or in the store if you walk in wearing a short skirt and sexy top. Especially knowing that you have an escort nearby. They about fall over themselves....

Ok, a mini skirt and a sexy top would do me no good. I might get thrown into jail.
I find it funny, cause I get along with one of the workers there. We'll talk about toys (many anal) and be like... ohh yeah I would love that size or why did they make it that big kind of thing. The boss gets piss and just glares at me. There are times I might buy something like toy cleaner just cause I need it. But when she does that I just leave.
But yeah, most people at porn stores don't know a thing and can be creepy. The funny thing, I always wonder... they even use the toys?

Even though I rarely buy anything in sex stores anymore due to higher prices and lack of selection, I really enjoy sex stores. There are some really good stores in major metro areas that have metal and glass and will let you test out (in your HANDS!) the toys, which I love! My favorite part is going in and putting on a show, though--I'm constitutionally incapable of being embarassed when I'm embarrassing someone else. I have one particularly sub friend that I enjoy whipping in the middle of stores, then letting other customers have a go at her as well. I'm always afraid I'm going to get kicked out, but so far, the employees seem to enjoy the entertainment...

I just revisited one of my favorite local stores 2 days ago. I hadn't been there since I've become more active in the EF community.

It's nice because they have a huge selection of lingerie in a classy environment. All the toys are in the back room but it's not seedy.

They had a much larger collection than the last time I was there - still no wood, glass or metal - but I did see a couple of familiar 100% silicone toys. They also had a whole lot more lube options.

The prices were, I kid you not, at least 10% more. At least. I looked at a couple of specific toys I know the EF price of and the store price was $20 more on one and $35 on the other!

I was just shocked by the signs everywhere proclaiming "If you attempt to open a package in the back room it will be considered a shoplifting attempt and you with either purchase the product or face criminal charges."

Oh well. At least I got a pretty purple flogger for $11 and some thigh-high fish nets for $10.

I live two blocks from a very interesting store, It is a wedding/ bridal boutique/ lingerie/ adult toy store. Everything is very upscale. The really funny thing is that it is owned by a chinese family, quite interesting to see three generations of family members working in this situation. They can be a bit pushy ( especially the older ladies, that can barely speak American English) but they are knowledgeable, and friendly. When I want to get my girlfriend really upscale lingerie that is a step up from something like victoria secret, I go there. I rarely buy sex toys or lubes from them because the prices are ridiculously high, but they let you handle anything, and they have "tester's" of all their lubes, and the entire KamaSutra line. The younger employees are very familiar with the products and share their knowledge (sometimes whether you want to know or not). I have really come to enjoy this site because it's so much better than the "creepy porn/sex shops" mentioned by others. Better prices. amazing inventory, and real reviews are what have me want to participate in this community.

I'm exceptionally lucky. We have a place called A Woman's Touch here in Milwaukee that has an actual brick and glass building I can browse in as well as a website.

It's run by a doctor and a sex educator so it's not your typical, seedy, adult bookstore type place.

Much as I love online shopping it's way, way nice to have a good, physical store to go to.

well, i work at an adult store, and would like to say we try to keep it a rather inviting atmosphere. I'm in a small company in the Dallas Metroplex, Condoms To Go/Sara's Secret. We try to pull ourselves away from the normal thoughts of "Sex Stores" by being trained on all of our products, letting customers see the products with batteries to know how powerfull they are, and by not carrying pornography. We do carry movies, however they are educational films, how to videos and such. We have lingerie and toys just inches from each other, and try to answer all the questions as best we can. Yes I know its sounds like I'm just trying to promote my company, but it's just to show that there are a few good places to go =)

Oh, I love real stores. I love the raunchy ones, but I almost never buy anything there. I usually get overwhelmed or freaked out. The nice ones I enjoy exploring and thinking.

There is something very tactile about getting to visually see and understand products compared to flipping through pictures.

But in my life, visiting sex stores just doesn't happen as easily as visiting Eden!

Yesterday I went into the most well-known "adult" store in the nearest city only to find they sold NO toy cleaners of any kind! They have about 2/3 porn and 1/3 toys, lingerie, lubes, etc. I ask the early 20's guy if they had toy cleaner and he "didn't think so."

It annoys me greatly because I only went there to get toy cleaner and it was just up the street from a party we attended.

Over the years I have popped into a lot of the adult stores here in Philadelphia. They have all for the most part been the creepy stereotype that you are all very familiar with. I have the feeling that most of the people who buy toys in these stores do not know what the difference is between the products and the materials, and make their purchasing decisions based on price. Everyone started out with this same lacking of knowledge, but the internet, and especially this community help us all to select better and safer products... (and usually for less money.)

We have like one store, and some little porno movie stores- so a total of 3 small stores all on the same strip. Since everything comes to Hawaii by boat, there is a huge markup. I once paid 90 bucks for a rabbit vibe that cost 54 anywhere else. Japanese men like clubs, animated porn, the Koreans have the market on "hostess bars". There are too many streetwalkers who need money for drugs so live sex replaces quality toys. The main toy store is Jelly city. They do have some Don Wands from time to time, and some Kama Sutra products. Individual ethnic groups find ways of bringing back their toys (Caribou and cow eyelashes that go on the end of the penis are big in the local Filipino community). I still patronize our local store because I really love talking to the manager and the employees, they are lovely, funny, smart people.

We recently moved to a small town and were shocked when we found out we had to drive to the next county to visit the *one* toy store that was anywhere around. And all they have is a bunch of videos and some cheap novelty toys. No Fun Factory, no Tantus, no Vixen Creations, just cheap plastic junk. Needless to say, we shop almost exclusively online now, and I SO miss big city living!


Michele