UNITED KINGDOM - European adult retailer Nice ‘n' Naughty won its third consecutive Retailer of the Year award at the Erotic Trade Only (ETO) awards held at Birmingham NEC. Nice ‘n' Naughty's co-director, Trish Murray, said the award is especially meaningful when taking the company's early struggles into account.
"It's such an achievement to think where we are today from where we started eight years ago," she said. "When we opened the Chester branch [on July 31, 1999] we really, really struggled, but the public's attitude has changed."
Murray's partner, Nine ‘n' Naughty director Simon Prescott, attributes a large portion of their success to the employees-who he refers to as "a real asset, determined, and proactive." Prescott is currently in Egypt overseeing the development of a villa which is being constructed for use by each of his 41 employees as a reward for a job well done.
"In the past six months they've given 100-percent and more," he stated. "It is this level of dedication which has helped me grow the business and I wanted to reward that so I've decided to send them all for a week's holiday in Sharm El Sheikh [Egypt]. We've always run an employee reward scheme and originally were going to have just one winner, but this time around we really couldn't choose between them."
In an exclusive interview from Egypt with AVN Novelty Business magazine, Prescott explained that he "sensitively" approached one of the planning officers on the construction site, for his opinion on opening a sex shop in Sharm El Sheik.
Prescott admitted he wasn't sure whether to "laugh or drive away very quickly" when the officer replied, "If you want to be buried alive in the middle of the desert with only your head sticking out for the eagles to pluck out your eyes, then yes my friend, go ahead and good luck." Prescott went on to admit that he "wasn't sure whether to laugh or drive away very quickly."
Of his third year in a row winning the ETO Award, Prescott offered, "It's absolutely incredible! I was so nervous. It's the most sought-after award, like the best-film category at the Oscars. The tension was unbelievable, and when they read our name, I just couldn't believe it. To have won it twice was fantastic, but to get the [third award] is unheard of."
Nice ‘n' Naughty is committed to promoting public awareness of changes in the adult industry and eliminating the stigma associated with adult shops. The company now has 11 stores, a wholesale division and an online retail store.