SEATTLE - Babeland, an adult retailer owned and operated by women, is gearing up to celebrate its 15th anniversary by opening its fifth retail location in June.
The new store, located in Brooklyn, N.Y., will be Babeland's third location in New York City.
Babeland, created in Seattle, has opened four stores over the past 10 years. The company opened its second location on the Lower East Side of New York in 1998 and added another store in SoHo in 2003. In 2005, Babeland opened a store on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.
In 1993, sex-toy enthusiasts Rachel Venning and Claire Cavanah founded the company out of a feeling of alienation.
"We wanted to create an environment where any woman would feel comfortable shopping," Venning told AVN Novelty Business. "We have a mission of promoting sexual vitality and [a] specific list of core values. Profitability is only one of the values, so we are always balancing the need for profitability with our goal of making the world a more sex-positive place."
Venning and Cavanah have become savvy retailers since their humble beginning with one store and one employee in Seattle.
"Neither of us had retail experience when we opened Babeland," Venning added. "We're professional, in terms of our infrastructure. We do cash flow and other financial planning, market research, extensive investment in [information technology], and a recent overhaul of our human-resource processes. We strive to make every aspect of our business the best it can be."
Babeland's product selection has changed over the years, too. Cavanah told ANB the Rabbit Pearl was the best toy on the market in 1993, but now more manufacturers are making toys that are created with a woman's body in mind and fit the Babeland mission.
The company recently rounded up 15 of the best sex toys of all time and dubbed them the "Babeland All-Stars."
"We'll be featuring stories and tips about these toys all year long in our stores and on our website," Cavanah explained. "We're appreciating our customers with monthly drawings at each location and a grand prize drawing in September. We're opening the new location in Brooklyn and organizing special workshops and parties in New York, Seattle and Los Angeles."
Cavanah said Babeland is committed to offering information and encouragement to "women who want to explore their sexuality in a sleaze-free, sex-positive environment, with accurate sex information and caring a part of the mix."
"Encouraging personal empowerment, community education and support for a more passionate world are key components of our mission," she added.
Venning and Cavanah have pursued this mission by creating a boutique retail experience that has drawn several "best of" awards, including Zagat Best Customer Service Awards.
Babeland also has been successful at staffing its stores with sex educators who go through an extensive in-house training program before hitting the sales floor.
"They are prepared for anything before they are let loose with customers," Venning said. "We host two to four monthly events and workshops in each location that are regularly attended by an average of 45 participants. Our community education and outreach program also includes private workshops, toy parties and events at college campuses."
Venning said world domination is the company's goal for the future.
"Sex toys have become more mainstream and acceptable," she said. "The subject is discussed everywhere now. We worked on an issue with Redbook magazine in 2001, when they featured the first vibrator in their pages. Television shows use sex toys, and celebrities talk about their favorite sex toys. People are more open and less ashamed of their desires. Our goal is a vibrator on every nightstand!"
Visit AVN.com/Novelty's "15 Years of Toys in Babeland" gallery to see pictures of each location and the company's first employee Indigo Blue.
