OAKLAND, Calif.—Feelmore Adult Gallery received a nod from Essence magazine's website this month, making it onto the magazine's list of top hot spots for vacationing couples.
“Get Away! 15 Great Spots for Couples to Visit in Northern California,” penned by Essence.com contributor Danielle Kwateng-Clark, covers the best places for lovers to eat, drink, be entertained and pick up a few new sex toys to round out their romantic travels.
In Feelmore's short blurb, founder Nenna Joiner is pictured in the doorway, representing the business she built from the ground up in Oakland's diverse and growing downtown area.
“Unapologetically sex-conscious,” Kwateng-Clark writes, “the store is all about having a healthy sex life with the tools to enhance the experience.”
“As a small business, anytime you can get exposure in front of a hard to reach an audience, it means a great deal,” remarks Joiner. “This article is diverse in that it features other Northern California businesses at the top of their customer service game. Also, people will put us on their list and decide to shop with us via online no matter their location. Moreover, the article helps us continue to move towards becoming a lifestyle company, not just a sex store.”
Joiner founded Feelmore in 2011 after exiting her family's film and TV production company. After a frustrating location search, Joiner finally secured a brick-and-mortar spot that's grown from a sex shop to a social movement, especially for people of color seeking a comfortable place to explore their sexuality.
She believes consumers intentionally seek out businesses owned by people of color. “It makes a customer feel valued when they encounter their community from an ownership level, especially in Oakland, given the number of black businesses that have closed. In the adult industry, that connection usually comes in the form of prevention and less of pleasure. Brown people are sexual just like everyone else!”
Feelmore says the piece by Essence further validates the importance of highlighting black-owned businesses, especially those run by women.
“Being in Essence brings a sense of pride for those that have seen us in the magazine since it is black-owned. I believe the community’s level of sharing with us helps to establish a trust which leads to more pride,” says Joiner. “We are thoughtful in what we choose to sell, how we talk about what we sell, how we address those who come in.”
As for what brought a black writer for one of the nation's largest mainstream magazines into a small shop in Oakland, Joiner credits her work ethic and unwavering attention to the daily grind.
“I honestly believe it’s just luck! I was told that when hard work intersects opportunity, luck is formed,” explains Joiner. “When I opened Feelmore, I didn’t have anyone in my family that could teach me how to run it. And equally, there are very few people-of-color writers that know the value of a person-of-color-owned business in the adult business. It’s harder to get press in front of our current or potential customers without paying for placement or knowing the writer.”
Since applying (and failing) to obtain a coveted retail spot in San Francisco's international airport, Joiner has made it her mission to create buzz around Feelmore—and in ways one would not expect from a sex shop. Her latest project involves turning an old ice cream truck into a mobile adult boutique.
“Feelmore will continue to outreach authentically to communities,” she says. “In the next coming months, our teammates will be volunteering with local festivals such as those in the Asian community. We will continue to work to make certain that Feelmore is an extension of the mind, body and community.”
For more information on Nenna Joiner and Feelmore Adult Gallery, visit Feelmore510.com or email [email protected].
Above, a screen grab of Nenna Joiner in a video on Feelmore510.com.
