Storerotica/Gentlemen's Club Expo Wraps

LAS VEGAS - Arrow Productions marketing director Robert Interlandi divided his time this week between three different conventions in which he was promoting the company's Deep Throat energy drink. (photo gallery)

Thanks in part to the custom-painted, 35th anniversary Corvette Stingray that anchored the corner of their booth at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, it was hard to miss the Deep Throat presence Wednesday afternoon as the Storerotica/Gentlemen's Club Expo wound to a close.

Interlandi said he checked on his two t-shirt licensing clients earlier in the day at the MAGIC Marketplace, one of the premier trade events in the fashion industry. He also visited a licensing client at the C.H.A.M.P.S. expo, the Custom Hand American Made Products Show for the smoke-shop industry as Arrow continues to aggressively market its growing line of licensed products. Back at Storerotica, the Deep Throat models passed out sample shots of the energy drink while Interlandi switched gears to discuss the comic books coming out that are based on Arrow Productions classic movies such as The Devil In Miss Jones and Candy Stripers.

"'Tell Them Johnny Wadd Is Here' is the only one staying true to the whole story with detective busts and things like that," Interlandi said. "We also have action figures in the works."

Interlandi recently returned from the Sturgis, S.D., bike rally where they handed out thousands of Deep Throat drink samples. He said the Deep Throat brand has also recently shown up in Chilled magazine, a trade publication for the beverage industry.

The adult video and novelty exhibitors made up about half of the combined Storerotica/Gentlemen's Club expo, which had a modest turnout of about 500 attendees considering that this summer's gas prices and generally challenging economic conditions have caused buyers to tighten their budgets.

Still, a few well-known adult industry figures such as IVD owner Frank Kay were seen scoping out the floor and making the most of the networking opportunities with the assortment of businesses displaying their products.

Goldstar Modeling owner Joel Lawrence, who had six of his girls at his corner booth, confirmed he has bought out the Miami-based Alternative Modeling and will open up Goldstar Miami to help service the significant South Florida Internet and video market.

"We should be open by mid-September," Lawrence said.

Meanwhile, Wicked Pictures director Brad Armstrong, along with his mother, and Wicked contract star Jessica Drake took a few laps around the ballroom and talked about a few of the big Wicked movies about to hit.

Armstrong's new adult fantasy Fallen in which Drake stars as a fallen angel who loses her wings is nearing its September release. The director said the dramatic elements reach the level of his award-winning war epic Coming Home of 2007, however this time with amped-up art direction and high-wire videography. He made use of numerous rooftop shots as well as shooting sequences from on top of elevators and the hood of a cab that will bring a sense of realism to the action.

"We were trying to capture the feeling of flying," Armstrong said. He added that The Accidental Hooker and the interactive Race 2 Race that features 17 different characters and some slick authoring by Dimension DVD were also significant projects for him this year.

The adult industry talent testing service, JustGetTested.com started getting the word out about its national expansion efforts at Storerotica. Based in Florida, the service tests for common STDs and is going nationwide, according to partner Edgar Wilson. The medical director is Dr. Edward Salko, Jr.

"We are just helping people save their own life," Wilson said.

The DareStars Entertainment Network, based in New York, promoted its new line of explicit DVDs at Storerotica. General Manager Christoph Borner said DareStars is "a fresh way of looking at erotica."

"We're really like uninhibited, sexy girl-next-door stuff," Borner said.

The first two DVDs are Erotic Dance Striptease and Dominatrix, which is shot in POV style.

"It's very instructional from the dominatrix's standpoint," said Borner, who was accompanied at his booth by Cheree, a model who is also the DareStars casting manager. "The DVDs are available to buy on our website, but we're looking for distribution and to get them into stores."

Greg Ross, co-owner and GM of the Penthouse Boutique in Vegas, said the company is preparing for the soft launch of a new Penthouse Swimwear line during the Key Girl search in Jamaica next weekend. They'll use a set of twins that work at the Vegas Penthouse club as models as well as reigning Pet of the Year Erica Ellyson. Ross also owns three Thriller boutiques in town, including one located inside the Bada-Bing Men's Club. 

Penthouse also used the expo week to launch their new energy drink Penthouse Clear as they work on increased branding in different markets. The company gave out free t-shirts to all the attendees at The Leather and Lace party on Tuesday night at the club.

For a Day 2 photo gallery by Hewman Being, click here.

For coverage of the Adult Nightclub and Exotic Dancer Awards Show on Wednesday night at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, click here.

For the Storerotica Day 1 story, click here.