Above, Bonnie Feingold representing Honey's Place at the International Lingerie Show.
Three generations of family have dedicated themselves for the past two-and-a-half decades to putting customers first, and the result has been one of the most trusted and highest regarded distributor in the world of pleasure products.
Founded by Helene Kusens in 1994, the company started as a small boutique-style distributor, operating from a renovated beauty shop in Los Angeles.
“Helene founded Honey’s Place after the company she worked for as an account manager went out of business,” explained Bonnie Feingold, Helene’s daughter and the current CEO and president of Honey’s Place. “She started Honey’s Place to continue to service her loyal customers in the best way possible. Honey was her nickname in the industry, so the name Honey’s Place was a natural choice.”
Kusens carved out a niche for her company by focusing on a unique style of customer service: she would personally visit stores, working with owners to create the best environments and stock the best products for their clientele. Years before it was the norm, Kusens saw the value in making stores “softer,” thereby making them more inviting to women and couples.
From the start, Honey’s Place wanted to be all things to all customers, and Kusens led by example. Her dedication and hard work inspired her daughter.
“I joined the business in 2003, after my mother passed away in December 2002, to honor her legacy, manage the company, and prepare it for the future,” Bonnie told AVN.
“Helene worked so hard to build this amazing company and I couldn’t bear to see it fail after she passed away. We needed someone who would manage it with care. It made sense to keep it in the family; I knew how much she loved Honey’s Place and I cared a lot about what she had worked so hard to build.”
In every sense of the world, Honey’s Place is a family company; and now, in the literal sense, it’s a family company that spans from mother, to daughter, to granddaughter.
“My daughter, Heather, also works at the company and has for many years; she does all our marketing and graphics and has been a great addition to the company,” Bonnie noted.
Together, they and the staff of Honey’s Place work to continue Helene’s visions. Among the first pleasure products company to be founded, owned and operated by a woman, the company touts a superior fulfillment rate and a diverse product selection, including the largest selection of lingerie in the industry.
“We stock the big names, best-selling products, as well as key boutique brands, and we work hard to carry unique items,” Bonnie said, adding the company’s website is second to none as well. “HoneysPlace.com is modern, easy to use, and has functionality built in specifically to help our customers. Our drop-ship program is seamless; we do not make mistakes and orders get shipped same day.”
Kusens started her own company at a time where the pleasure products industry was creating products that were used by women, but actual women were few and far between in the industry, particularly in leadership roles.
“The role of women has changed greatly over the years,” Bonnie said. “I watched my mother succeed when there were no other women in the industry, and as a woman it took a lot of strength for her to open Honey’s Place. There were people who did not want to see her succeed, but she did regardless.
“When I came into the industry, there were not many women owners or CEOs, and none in distribution. Now every company has women on staff, especially in sales, but it’s important to remember that it wasn’t always this way,” she continued. “I have watched this industry blossom over the years. There are now women in every part of the business, which I find refreshing. A lot of what we sell is geared toward female consumers, so to see women take on these roles—taking ownership of how products are marketed, packaged, taught and sold—has been wonderful. There are now woman-owned businesses in every part of the industry.
“The narrative for our industry is changing in a positive way and women are at the forefront. Years ago, when I first found out what my mother was selling, there was a stigma about sex toys and intimate products. Now there is body-positive messaging everywhere. Pleasure products are seen more as enhancements rather than replacements, or something salacious, secretive or taboo. The industry overall has changed because of the women working in it,” she concluded.
Kusens and her company not only set themselves apart from the start, but also saw success early on. Bonnie said among her mother’s early milestones was opening the first Honey’s Place warehouse and hiring her first employee within the first year. But that’s not to say it’s always been easy for the women of the company,” Bonnie said. “To start, I had no experience managing a company and had never been involved this industry; there was a lot to learn and I had to learn it fast. The company was in disarray when I came on board, as well. My mother had been sick for quite a long time, so I had to stabilize the company upon taking it over. I also had to move us to a new facility within six months in preparation of major growth, so the challenges all came at once.
“I have had many successes over the years; my first big success was making it through the stabilization process and moving the company to [the] new warehouse facility … It was three times the size of the warehouse before it; that first warehouse was 5,700 square feet and our current warehouse is 35,000 square feet, so there’s been major growth,” she continued. “There were many milestones that got us where we are today: implementing our first WMS system, creating a website, moving the company several times, restructuring and modernizing, and successfully staying relevant and competitive.”
Today, she said, the challenge is staying competitive, relevant and on top of trends with product selection, knowledge and technology. Bonnie noted the company is much bigger than people realize, and carries more products than most expect. Yet, in an effort to stay true to its roots, Honey’s Place works to treat customers the way a small company would.
“Honey’s Place is a woman-owned-and-run business and has been in business for 25 years. We are a leading and award-winning distributor; our technology is superior, we are well organized, and the company boasts a strong infrastructure with a dependable team of people,” Bonnie said. “Helene’s original goals were to service her customers, many of whom were her personal friends. She wanted to build and nurture something she loved with a team of people she could trust.
“My goal has been to honor what she started, grow and modernize it over time, and set the company up for growth and the future,” Bonnie added. “Honey’s Place is built on a strong foundation rooted in core values. I work hard to have the best people in every part of the company, each with the skill-set necessary to take the company to the next level and remain competitive. The focus has and will remain on our customers and supporting their needs so that they can succeed.”
