Favourite Sex Shops?

gilby69 · April 3rd, 2015, 08:02 PM

My favourite sex shop was always the one in the middle of Charing Cross Road. I liked it because it was seedy in a way I think all sex shops should be, and a bit reto too, 70s brown and orange. It was quite pokey but always had a good selection of mags, and not all of them were hard-core, and some fun S&M publications too. But last year it was spruced up and modernised and has now completely lost its former character.

I generally find most sex shops boring places to visit. They have no atmopshere and are actually about as sexy as Tescos.

What is your current favourite sex shop (if you still use sex shops in these days of the internet) and why? What's your favourite sex shop of all time and do you have any funny stories? Let's celebrate them before they go the way of the dodo.

R Jimpson · April 3rd, 2015, 09:18 PM

Oh yes, you're talking about Lovejoy's. I agree - a great shame that it's been "made over". Used to do a good line in left field DVDs and books, as well - horror and esoterica a specialty - bought many hard-to-get horror DVDs of films from the 60s & 70s in there. That is - in addition to porn, of course. And I agree, this is the point of these shops - there should be something a little bit under the counter about them or there isn't the right transgressive appeal - although I do confess to a wish to visit a fantasy porn aisle in Tesco's - this would have a transgressive appeal of a slightly different order. If any of the parties running in the current election want to add porn aisles in supermarkets to their manifestos as a firm - and fully funded - election pledge, then I promise them my vote right now.

On a more serious note, if anyone knows of a similar establishment still operating in central-ish London then I would be grateful for the reccomendation.

gilby69 · April 3rd, 2015, 10:36 PM

Thanks, Lovejoys. As I was typing the post I couldn't remember the name of the place, for the life of me.

I kept of thinking of the "Sven Bookshop" which was the name of the place in Croydon down Crown Hill, many moons ago. It used to be at Reeves Corner, which was one of the places burned to the ground during the riots a few years ago. I used to walk past it until nobody was in sight then duck inside. Always remember the bead curtain in the entrance. This was in the days when everything was censored and every magazine promised "hard core action" in the next edition. The only thing you got in the next edition was another promise for "hard-core action".

April 3rd, 2015, 08:02 PM	#1
gilby69 Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: London Posts: 40 Thanks: 499 Thanked 351 Times in 37 Posts	Favourite Sex Shops? My favourite sex shop was always the one in the middle of Charing Cross Road. I liked it because it was seedy in a way I think all sex shops should be, and a bit reto too, 70s brown and orange. It was quite pokey but always had a good selection of mags, and not all of them were hard-core, and some fun S&M publications too. But last year it was spruced up and modernised and has now completely lost its former character. I generally find most sex shops boring places to visit. They have no atmopshere and are actually about as sexy as Tescos. What is your current favourite sex shop (if you still use sex shops in these days of the internet) and why? What's your favourite sex shop of all time and do you have any funny stories? Let's celebrate them before they go the way of the dodo.

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April 3rd, 2015, 09:18 PM	#2
R Jimpson Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 9 Thanks: 12 Thanked 137 Times in 9 Posts	Oh yes, you're talking about Lovejoy's. I agree - a great shame that it's been "made over". Used to do a good line in left field DVDs and books, as well - horror and esoterica a specialty - bought many hard-to-get horror DVDs of films from the 60s & 70s in there. That is - in addition to porn, of course. And I agree, this is the point of these shops - there should be something a little bit under the counter about them or there isn't the right transgressive appeal - although I do confess to a wish to visit a fantasy porn aisle in Tesco's - this would have a transgressive appeal of a slightly different order. If any of the parties running in the current election want to add porn aisles in supermarkets to their manifestos as a firm - and fully funded - election pledge, then I promise them my vote right now. On a more serious note, if anyone knows of a similar establishment still operating in central-ish London then I would be grateful for the reccomendation.

April 3rd, 2015, 10:36 PM	#3
gilby69 Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: London Posts: 40 Thanks: 499 Thanked 351 Times in 37 Posts	Thanks, Lovejoys. As I was typing the post I couldn't remember the name of the place, for the life of me. I kept of thinking of the "Sven Bookshop" which was the name of the place in Croydon down Crown Hill, many moons ago. It used to be at Reeves Corner, which was one of the places burned to the ground during the riots a few years ago. I used to walk past it until nobody was in sight then duck inside. Always remember the bead curtain in the entrance. This was in the days when everything was censored and every magazine promised "hard core action" in the next edition. The only thing you got in the next edition was another promise for "hard-core action".