Shops selling sexually oriented adult products date back over 30 years in NYC. One of the oldest is The Pink Pussycat Boutique at 167 W. 4th Street in the West Village, established in 1972. Click here for a peek inside. This is the same year that another sex shop icon was started - The Pleasure Chest, which is around the corner at 156 7th Ave. (these dates are according to their websites). Both have expanded with other locations. In spite of the availability of products via internet/mailorder, the novelty of seeing sex devices, clothing, bondage gear, videos, books etc. on display in a retail store is a real draw for tourists, which is much of the store's trade. However, they do provide service in the way of advice and recommendations to those comfortable with discussing intimate details with a complete stranger. The Pink Pussycat and The Pleasure Chest have both avoided the super garish, seedy look of stores seen in Times Square (or now around the corner on 6th Ave.). I think the community peacefully coexists with these two shops and sees them as businesses one would expect to find in a neighborhood like the Village ...
Friday, November 10, 2006
The Pink Pussy Cat Boutique
Shops selling sexually oriented adult products date back over 30 years in NYC. One of the oldest is The Pink Pussycat Boutique at 167 W. 4th Street in the West Village, established in 1972. Click here for a peek inside. This is the same year that another sex shop icon was started - The Pleasure Chest, which is around the corner at 156 7th Ave. (these dates are according to their websites). Both have expanded with other locations. In spite of the availability of products via internet/mailorder, the novelty of seeing sex devices, clothing, bondage gear, videos, books etc. on display in a retail store is a real draw for tourists, which is much of the store's trade. However, they do provide service in the way of advice and recommendations to those comfortable with discussing intimate details with a complete stranger. The Pink Pussycat and The Pleasure Chest have both avoided the super garish, seedy look of stores seen in Times Square (or now around the corner on 6th Ave.). I think the community peacefully coexists with these two shops and sees them as businesses one would expect to find in a neighborhood like the Village ...
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3 comments:
Only 30 years? That is a surprise. So I looked it up and apparently, sex shops were legalized in the 1960's (using the 1st amendment).
I guess since they've always existed during my existence...I just assumed they had always been legal.
It seems like they have always existed to me also. But then, I was no in NYC much before these shops opened.
Brian
I've got a picture of a sexshop using a lot of pink in their window shop today.
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