The 11 Best Sex Shops In NYC
July 27, 2017, 1:38 p.m.
Time Square might be Disneyfied, the city's not de-sexed just yet.
New York's former sex shop hub, Times Square, has long since become the kind of place where there's a public outcry over an ad for a porn website, but the city's not de-sexed just yet. Indeed, over the last few decades the city's seen a boom in more upscale, female/fetish/LGBTQ-friendly boutiques, where adult toys, whips, and edible underwear come with a side of destigmatization—but don't worry, the good old-fashioned seedy stuff's still around if you want it. Here are our favorite sex shops in the city; as always, leave yours in the comments.
SHAG: This high-end Williamsburg shop, run by Samantha Bard and Ashley Montgomery-Pulido, focuses on the ladies, boasting female-friendly wares like tittie pasties, lube, aphrodisiac pops, oral sex lip gloss, and pocket rockets. The goods here are so elegantly curated they could double as art, with bespoke handmade marble dildos, greeting cards, and designer lingerie included in the inventory, plus staffers host regular workshops covering everything from bondage to burlesque dancing. Note that Shag is slightly pricey, so perhaps save a spree here for a special occasion.
Shag is located at 108 Roebling Street between North 5th and 6th Streets in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (347-721-3302, weloveshag.com).
BABELAND: Babeland is a great spot for nervous sex shop first-timers—their super-clean, brightly-lit stores eschew any seediness you might find elsewhere, and appliances like dildos, cock-rings, vibrators and strap ons are organized in such a clinical fashion you won't get the least bit giggly while asking a salesperson for recs and cleaning tips. All three locations also offer classes on everything from anal sex to blowjobs, and you can even score free gear at their sporadic trivia nights.
Babeland has two locations in Manhattan; 43 Mercer Street between Broome and Grand Streets in SoHo (212-966-2120, babeland.com); and at 94 Rivington Street between Ludlow and Orchard Streets (212-375-1701, babeland.com). They also have a location at 432 Bergen Street between 5th and Flatbush Avenues in Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-638-3820, babeland.com).
THE LEATHER MAN: As the name suggests, this West Village shop sells apparel and fetish gear catered to men who like leather, though there's a smattering of lady-friendly stuff for sale, too. Chaps, belts, pants, straightjackets, shorts, harnesses, power units, caps, teddy bears, dog collars, and the like are all on tap here, and they're known for their custom work should you prefer your gear tailor-made. Though pieces here are a bit expensive, the quality is excellent, hence The Leather Man's rep as this city's go-to spot for leather goods.
The Leather Man is located at 111 Christopher Street between Bleecker and Bedford Streets in the West Village (212-243-5339, theleatherman.com).
THE PLEASURE CHEST: This roundup's lone entry on the Sex and the City tour (is that thing really still going?), the Pleasure Chest famously provided Charlotte with her first vibrator way back in the pruder 1990s. Still, this chainlet's been kicking around since the 1970s, establishing itself as the gold standard in sex shops, with its hefty collection of sex toys of all shapes and sizes. Knowledgeable staff members, fun gift items, and kinky classes add to the UES and West Village shops' repertoire, plus it doesn't hurt that both stores are downright pretty. Try not to develop an orgasm addiction like Charlotte did.
The Pleasure Chest has two locations in Manhattan: 1150 2nd Ave between 60th and 61st Streets on the Upper East Side (212-355-6909, thepleasurechest.com) and at 156 7th Ave South between Charles and Perry Streets in the West Village (212-242-2158, thepleasurechest.com).
EVE'S GARDEN: Eve's Garden is a pioneering force in female sex-positivity, having been founded by women's rights activist Dell Williams in the 1970s. Women's sexuality was still rather taboo then, and according to her obituary in the Times, Williams was inspired to open her own store after she attempted to purchase a vibrator at a department store and the clerk humiliated her. Eve's Garden may have actually been the country's first women-centric sex shop, tasked with de-stigmatizing sex boutiques and lady-friendly pleasure toys. It's still one of the city's top spots for swanky sex stuff, selling high-end vibrators, bondage gear, massage oils, lubricants, DVDs, and the like. They also give out free wine on Thursday nights for folks who prefer to liquor up before shopping.
Eve's Garden is located at 110 West 57th Street, Suite 1201, between 6th and 7th Avenues in Midtown West (212-757-8651, evesgarden.com).
A&J LINGERIE AND MORE...: It's hard to imagine a mother/son sex shop team could give off anything but Norman Bates vibes, but this Flatiron store—run by aforementioned duo Ida and James Burd—is actually lovely, plus Ida gives you candy sometimes if she's there. A&J used to be a ladies' dress shop, but as Ida told DNAinfo in 2013, "Women just don’t wear nice dresses anymore," so in the early aughts the Burds spiced things up. Now, the store sells sexy outfits, candy underwear, sex toys and novelty items, and wares here are blessedly a bit cheaper than what you might find at Babeland or Shag.
A&J Lingerie is located at 41 West 28th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue in Flatiron (212-779-1141, ajlingerie.com).
PURPLE PASSION: This Chelsea lifestyle shop is the go-to spot for BDSM wares, boasting a full range of accessories, like suspension cuffs, bondage belts, hooks, plugs, harnesses, instructional books, canes, corsets, and latex and leather outfits. Staff here is super chill, they also offer workshops for both the kink-curious and well-versed, and though some items are expensive you can still find affordable gear if you take time to dig.
Purple Passion is located at 211 West 20th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues in Chelsea (212-807-0486, purplepassion.com).
PLEASE: A friend described this relatively new South Slope spot as, "tasteful, bourgeois, woke, as you'd expect from a Park Slope sex shop," and indeed, it's a top pick for folks seeking a sex-positive shopping experience. Please sells the usual vibrators and cock-rings, but also glass dildos, educational body books (for tweens!), beautifully-colored massage oils and lubricants, and other bespoke accoutrement, all within its elegant, sunlit space. As a bonus, the staff and owner, Sid, are as lovely and welcoming as the decor.
Please is located at 557 5th Avenue between Prospect Park West and 16th Street in South Slope, Brooklyn (718-788-6969, pleasenewyork.com).
RAINBOW STATION: Rainbow Station isn't a bespoke fetish boutique—going inside feels a bit like transplanting back to pre-Giuliani Times Square, though this one's in Chelsea. The shop, which caters primarily to gay boasts a significant collection of lingerie and toys, plus thousands of DVDs you can enjoy in a private booth in the back of the store (but you'll have to enjoy them alone—there's no sex allowed in there).
Rainbow Station is located at 203 8th Avenue between 20th and 21st Streets in Chelsea (212-206-7259, rainbowstation.nyc).
ROMANTIC DEPOT: Romantic Depot is pretty much as it sounds. This massive megastore is the self-proclaimed "largest sex shop in New York," and though its television commercials are the stuff of legend, they do actually carry a solid collection of toys, lingerie, outfits, and other gear. Prices here are fair, and if you can't make it to the Bronx, you're in luck—they've got outposts in a number of suburban areas, plus a new Harlem store opened earlier this year.
Romantic Depot is located at 3703 Provost Avenue in the Bronx (718-515-6969, romanticdepot.com). There's also a new outpost at 3418 Broadway in Harlem (646-861-0683).
WHAT A GYRL WANTS: This five-year-old East Flatbush shop is another good spot for sex toy virgins—it was founded by a mother and daughter for the explicit purpose of bolstering the benefits of healthy sex in a neighborhood that lacked such an outlet. What A Gyrl Wants is small but discreet, and staff members are happy to offer tips and recommendations. Wares include the usual sex toys and novelty items, but at lower price points than what you might find at ritzier spots.
What A Gyrl Wants is located at 519 East 46th Street at Snyder Avenue in East Flatbush (347-350-9225, wgwonline.com).