Page 42 - AVN September 2017

SEXPLORATIONS
SEX-ED SELLS
Retailers weigh in on the benefits of in-store events
Lessons From Adam & Eve
Bob Strothers, who owns three Adam & Eve stores around Houston, Texas, once tried
throwing a “Texas Show” event at his store, where he invited a bunch of porn stars—34 in all,
including Evan Stone, Ron Jeremy and Katie Morgan. But it grew to such huge proportions that
he had to move it to the local Hilton hotel. When the Hilton canceled the show in favor of a
charity event, he moved it to the local Holiday Inn. By the time the second hotel canceled the
event, it had grown to 5,000 attendees. (“It was like a mini AVN show,” he said.)
The store event ended up at a local strip club. The final verdict? “If you want to draw people
into your store, invite porn stars,” Strothers said. “And make it fun.”
Events at his stores have included signings with Alexis Ford and Bree Olson, an Erotic
Ball, Garden of Eden and Mardi Gras parties, a Naughty XXXmas party, a Harley-Davidson
anniversary party, a Ladies Night and a Couples Night Out. The parties have a DJ and a
“training table” to show customers how to use the toys. The store always provides free hors
d’oeuvres and drinks, he said, but after the Harley party he decided on a two-drink maximum.
“After some bikers threw down beer after beer, I was horrified to see them ride off drunk on
their motorcycles.”
“The couples parties are always a big hit,” he said. “At those, people play party games like
pass the double headed dildo between your legs.” (A great party ice-breaker!)
“As long as people are having fun,” he said, “I feel like I’m not selling products, I’m selling
satisfaction. We want people to walk out of the store smiling.”
Greg Peters, who owns two Adam & Eve stores in Reno, Nevada, shared his experiences as
well. “We do classes on everything from Intro to Anal to Sex Toys 101 to our Spank Session
class with a local dominatrix, our most popular one. We also did a Tantric Love class that did
really well and a ‘whole body orgasm’ Reiki-like massage class. I wasn’t really sure how that
works, but people really liked it. We get a lot of couples,” he said. “These events make great
date nights.”
Kara McGee, who owns an Adam & Eve store in Boise, Idaho, said that she hopes the
knowledge women learn from the classes at her store will empower them. The philosophy
of her store is a “safe, friendly environment for men, women and couples who are looking to
venture away from the more mainstream norms of sexuality and experiment with the more
erotic and growing interest in taboo sex practices.” Like the other Adam & Eve stores, she
notes that the BDSM classes draw the most interest. “Sometimes the couples coming to our
events are looking for something different, but not necessarily someone different,” she says.
And she has two words for anyone who isn’t sure who to invite to an event at their store: “Nina
Hartley.”
The PleasureEd Principle
The Pleasure Chest—with stores in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City—has packed
in crowds for its sex classes since 2008, and its success is a lesson to stores everywhere. “Our
goal was to differentiate from other similar programs by offering entirely free, pleasure-based
sex ed to makes the classes accessible to everyone,” said Sarah Tomchesson, head of business
operations.
An average “PleasureEd” class draws about 30 people, she says. “But we regularly present
to a standing-room-only audience in Los Angeles and New York with anywhere from fifty to
eighty people.
And what is their number-one class?
“Our blowjob classes are our crowd pleasers,” Tomchesson said. “A hundred attendees show
up for a blowjob class in our L.A. store. Other popular classes include O-M-G Spot and Butt
Sex Basics.”
These days comedy rules, so the Pleasure Chest tried a comedy show at the L.A. store.
Then one at the New York Store. And another. “Performance Anxiety, our monthly comedy
show in West Hollywood, Awkward Sex and the City and Party of Two in New York have been
hugely successful for us,” Tomchesson said. There is an audience for the shows that might not
otherwise come to us. Since the program is free, the sales from the event are what sustain the
program. Our educators consistently bring in sales in their classes and our event programming
across the board is a big draw for new customers. The comedy events, in particular, help us
with one of our biggest retail challenges in the digital age—getting people in the door.”
SEXPLORATIONS | By Anka Radakovich
DO SEX CLASSES AND STORE EVENTS increase business in brick-and-mortar
stores? We asked stores across America what type of events create
more throbbing sales.
Generating Excitement
With four stores near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the chain of
Excitement Adult Superstores holds sex classes and “Girls Only”
nights. Their “Intro to BDSM Nights is advertised with this teaser:
“Come learn what makes bondage, submission, sadism and masochism
so damn sexy and thrilling!”
“People especially like spinning the prize wheel, said Excitement
Director of Marketing Katy Halter. “We give away store dollars, but
they end up buying a more high-end toy.”
During a recent drive through this part of Pennsylvania—filled with
conservative Christian churches with unintentionally adult signs like
JESUS SAYS GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES, I wondered how sales
were going in the Bible Belt. “We get all the closet kinksters,” Halter
reported.
I also noticed tons of Amish and Mennonites in the area and
wondered if the store ever attracts them. “No,” she said, “But we did
get a bunch of women wearing burkas once. Everyone is welcome!”
The store prides itself on establishing a non-judgmental atmosphere.
“The store as well as the events open people up and make them feel
comfortable,” said assistant store manager Jimmy McFadden. “We have
regular customers who brings friends into our events. Plus, the three-
hour window brings more people in.”
What the store learned from having these events, Halter said, is that
they serve two purposes. First, the sex classes establish a reputation for
the stores. (Like their “Oooh La La back to school” classes, where sex
educators like Ducky Doolittle teach peeps how to have different kinds
of orgasms.)
And second, said Halter, throwing in-store parties, such as the Girls
Night Out events, brings in a “ring at the register.”
“We’ll get about 100 girls who are excited to be in a safe space
where they can explore their own sexual pleasure—with our staff
demonstrating how to use everything. We do the Girls Night Out event
about twice a year, and by doing them less frequently, we build up
anticipation for the event.”
42 | AVN.com | 9.17
Anka Radakovich is a legendary sex columnist who wrote a groundbreaking column for Details magazine. Currently
she writes for British GQ and Sexpert.com. She is the author of three books, including her newest, The Wild Girls
Club, Part 2. She has appeared multiple times on TV talk shows, including eight appearances with Conan O’Brien.
She is also a certified sexologist. We are thrilled to have her as a contributor.
Follow Anka Radakovich on Twitter: @ankarad.