fucking awesome

About two weeks ago I was in Chicago, and while I was there I decided to take the opportunity to visit some of its more sex-positive sex shops.

Wait, first, what’s a non-sex-positive sex shop look like?  They’re obviously selling items related to sex, so they must be positive about sex, right?  Well, a store like that would sell things that could be harmful to consumers, and don’t take any steps to educate their customers on having a happy, healthy sex life.  The atmosphere isn’t necessarily welcoming or comfortable for women, queerfolk, or, well, anyone. The idea is to get in, grab the first phthalate-filled, 3-foot, jelly, double-ended dildo you come across, pay for it quickly without making eye contact with the cashier, and slink out and hope no one noticed you were ever there.

That’s not what we want.  We don’t want to feel ashamed about being sexual people, and when we shop for a toy we don’t want to do it in a space that makes us feel icky.

So, I visited Early to Bed and The Pleasure Chest.

Early to Bed

For our first stop, T and I braved the Chicago winter weather and went out to Early to Bed.  It’s a small, boutique-style sex toy store about a block from the Berwyn L stop, at 5232 N. Sheridan Rd.

There’s nothing about it that screams “SEX!” from the outside, so we didn’t feel like we had to sneak in.  The lovely Garnet Joyce was there to greet us, and right when we showed up they were about to give a tour for a group of teens participating in a leadership program for young women.  I decided to follow along, as it was a great way to get to know the store a bit better.  They provided some really valuable information to the group, things they would never get through sex ed, like what different toys are best for, how to use them, materials, and safety.  I wish I had gone on that field trip when I was in high school!  It’s clear that they care a whole lot about education and local community.

I also was really happy to get the chance to walk around and play with toys– they have testers for everything!  It’s extremely useful to go see just how strong that vibe really is, or exactly how squishy that dildo is, or just how HUGE that butt plug is… you just can’t do that online.

I think it’s really great that shoppers are actually encouraged to get hands-on with the toys:

Best argument for wearing butt plugs EVAR:

All of the toys have little cards on them that tell you more about them:

Check out these sweet vintage and antique vibrators they had on a shelf at the back of the store:

I felt like a kid in the world’s most awesome candy shop.  I wanted to take everything home with me!  In addition to all of the toys, they also had a huge selection of DVDs and books, and a big shelf of lube, again with testers for everything.  I feel like Early to Bed would be a great place for those completely new to toys to come and learn about all of the different options available to them as the atmosphere is fairly intimate and the staff is very approachable.  I really like that the emphasis was taken off of luxury toys and placed on good quality, affordable toys.  They do have some luxury brands, like Lelo and Njoy, but they are up front on the counter in a glass case.  Because it is a smaller store, if you’re looking for something specific they might not have it.  But if you have to work within a budget, the staff will certainly help you find the best toy for your money.

The Pleasure Chest

Next stop was The Pleasure Chest, which is located right at the Paulina stop on the brown line, at 3436 N. Lincoln.  It’s set back from the street a little, and has its own parking lot.  The store is pretty big, with many shelves and racks around the store rather than tables around the edges.

It made me really happy to see all of the Tantus and Vixen toys along the back wall:

I made a sighting of the rare Green VixSkin Randy, which they had on display but not in stock.  After having seen it in person I am even more convinced that Vixen has made a huge mistake by discontinuing the green color.

They carry more novelty-type items:

…but also a large selection of higher-end, luxury toys:

Big wall o’ lubes, condoms, and massage oils:

Overall, The Pleasure Chest had a huge selection and is great for anyone already familiar with toys and has an idea of what he/she is looking for (though the organization didn’t seem entirely logical… if you’re looking for something specific you may need to ask for help in finding it).  While they do make an effort to put information on the toys out for customers, the sheer size and diversity of their stock makes it difficult to do that for every single product.  The employees were friendly and helpful and happy to talk shop with me, but the overall atmosphere of the store is less intimate and those who are shy or embarrassed about toys may not feel comfortable asking questions.  While there are testers for most products, I was sad to find that many of them were broken or barely functional.  I wanted to fondle a working Sasi, damn it!  The Pleasure Chest has a massive porn selection, and a good number of books, too.  They also have a lingerie section, which I did not venture into.

I’d like to thank both shops for letting me wander around taking pictures and for answering all of my questions!  I only wish my city had stores like these!