Page 8 - AVN Intimate Spring 2019

INDUSTRY NEWS
Circus of Books to Live on as 2nd Chi Chi LaRue’s Location
When one door closes, another one
opens. So the saying goes, and it
couldn’t be more true than in the case
of Circus of Books, which is shuttering
its doors this weekend.
But though the LGBT community
will lose a cultural landmark when the
gay adult bookstore closes, it’s gaining
a second location for venerable adult
boutique Chi Chi LaRue’s, which will
take over the space.
Chi Chi LaRue’s, a multiple AVN
Award-winning retailer located in West
Hollywood, will open a second store
on the other side of West Hollywood,
taking over the Circus of Books space at
8230 Santa Monica Boulevard.
For decades the world-famous Circus
of Books has welcomed generations
of gay men who entered through the
saloon doors in search of porn, cruising,
sex toys, lube, poppers, books and
magazines. The team from Chi Chi
LaRue’s plans to honor the legacy of
the store, which originally opened as
Book Circus in 1960. They point out
that when Barry and Karen Mason
acquired the store in 1982, part of the
store’s cachet was its location directly in
front of the notoriously cruisy gay spot
known to this day as Vaseline Alley.
Circus of Books represents a
significant part of the local LGBT
community’s history—and it’s a story
that the couple’s daughter, Rachel
Mason, plans to tell in a documentary
titled Circus of Books. A filmmaker and
artist, Rachel plans to tell the story of
the Masons and the path they took to
become one of the biggest distributors
of hardcore gay porn in the U.S.
Reportedly, the new Circus will
“marry the upscale and fun aspect of
the existing Chi Chi LaRue’s and the
8 | INTIMATE | SPRING 2019
Icon Brands Releases PG
Version of ‘XOXO’ Blindfold
Icon Brands, the company behind
the popular “F*ck Me/F*ck You
Mask,” on Friday announced the
release of its much softer companion,
not in fabric, but in message: “The
XOXO/ZZZZ Mask.”
Delivering essentially the same
message as its more “blunt”
counterpart, “XOXO” lets users express their bedtime
wishes without ever saying a word … he’ll see it right in
your eyes—or over your eyes, to be exact.
“Everything in our ‘Nines’ value-line does well,” said Icon
Sales Manager Sara Hentcy, “but the ‘F-Me and You’ mask
history of Circus of Books.” A new
always did particularly well … people just really seemed to
addition to both stores will be a Tom
get a kick out of it.”
of Finland store-within-a-store, which
Over time, Hentcy explained, “Some ‘softer stores’
brings even more history by honoring
wanted a version they could stock with their tamer gifts, that
the legendary artist, whose legacy
would appeal to couples on the shyer side. So we added the
is captured by the Tom of Finland
‘XOXO’ version for them, and it’s already a hit.”
Foundation house—another landmark
The first mask was in a shimmering, light copper satinette,
of gay history in Los Angeles.
while the new one is in a light goldenrod, as seen in Icon’s
“Both stores are getting a little lift.
product photos.
Plus, we are expanding our concept
“More designs are planned,” added Hentcy, “and we’ll
and looking at other manufacturers that
stay in the metallic tones that add such a luxe feel to the
mesh with our brands to do pop-ups
mask’s very plush weight.”
or long-term store-in-a-store concepts,”
Both designs are currently in stock and shipping. Just call
said Rob Novinger, owner of Channel 1
Sara and say “X-Rated” or “XOXO,” and she’ll do the rest.
Releasing (C1R).
Sara can be reached at 818-380-7700, ext. 105.
The new Circus is set to reopen on
May 1, 2019.
At January’s 2019 AVN Awards
Show, Chi Chi LaRue’s West
Melody Cazarin Named Newest Sales Rep at Nasstoys
Hollywood store, located at 8861 Santa
Nasstoys has hired Melody
Monica Boulevard, won the trophy for
Cazarin as the company’s newest
Best Boutique. Chi Chi LaRue’s is the
sales representative. She will be
retail arm of C1R.com.
stationed on the West Coast.
Channel 1 Releasing is one of
“I am truly honored to be part
the world’s largest gay-owned
of the Nasstoys family and to be
and operated adult entertainment
working side-by-side with a legend
companies. Through its various arms,
like Elliot Schwartz. The entire
C1R covers the entire gay adult arena
Nasstoys team has welcomed me with open arms, and I am
with award-winning movies, novelties,
determined to make them proud!” Cazarin said.
online products, direct-mail order and
Cazarin joins Nasstoys with two years of prior industry
retail stores.
experience and brings her fresh young energy to the Nasstoys
C1R offers more than 2,500 gay adult
team. Her responsibilities will include sales, training, retail and
titles covering every genre and niche,
distributor support along with outreach to prospective new
with imprints that include Chi Chi
retailers on the West Coast.
LaRue’s Rascal, All Worlds, Dirk Yates
“We are thrilled to welcome Melody into the Nasstoys family.
and Catalina. The library boasts movies
We did the ANME and ANE shows together, and I was so
by such influential directors as Chi Chi
impressed with Melody’s organization, sales knowledge, and
LaRue, William Higgins, Dirk Yates,
warm customer relations that I was really blown away by how
Jerry Douglas, Doug Jeffries, Josh Eliot
wonderful she is at her job. We are fortunate to add Melody to
and others.
the team and have her servicing all of our supportive Nasstoys
C1R’s novelty products include the
customers and growing our relationships on the West Coast,”
iconic gay brand Rascal and the edgy
said Elliot Schwartz, Nasstoys president.
new Boneyard Toys. Both lines pride
To learn more about Nasstoys products and collections, visit
themselves on quality and innovation.
Nasstoys.com.