Babeland mission: to promote and celebrate sexual vitality by providing an honest, open & fun environment.
As you may remember from my shout out in Why Good Sex Shops Matter my very first good sex shop experience took place on Rivington Street in NYC, circa 2003 at a shopped called Toys in Babeland*. I was so nervous and so embarrassed by the sheer breadth of what I knew I didn’t know and totally intimidated by the super-cool staff (Um, did you know Tristan Taormino used to work there?!) But, thanks to the tattoo-covered woman who patiently talked me through lubes, my crush on Babeland/insistence on good sex shops was born.
Claire Cavanah and Rachel Venning founded Toys in Babeland in response to the lack of female-friendly sex shops in Seattle. In 1998 the second Babes in Toyland location opened on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, eventually to be joined by Soho and Brooklyn locations.
So, when did when the shift from Babes in Toyland to the Babeland of today happen and why? 2005 and according to Rachel Venning this was why- “Toys in Babeland had become much more than just a place to buy sex toys, so we decided to present Babeland as a destination, a lifestyle, a state of mind—all celebrating the simple truth that sexually healthy people make the world a happier place.”
When I announced the Superhero Sex Shop Tour, emailed the shops and immediately heard back from Pamela at Babeland (Who I mention by name because she’s a rockstar. I want to bake things for her. Someone at Babeland, please go hug Pamela immediately. Thank you.) I turned into the geekiest fangirl ever. Not only was Babeland excited to participate in the tour but they were going to set me up to spend some time talking with one of the shops founders…Oh my!
So, a few weeks back, I got to hang out and play with toys (it was the first time I held the Stronic Pulsator) at Babeland’s original NYC location with a bona fide Sex Shop Superhero- Claire Cavanah. I’m not going to lie, that was very cool. Topics covered:
-How the toy industry has changed: A highlight of this – Apparently 20 years ago a lot more of the quality toys were being geared toward the lesbian community and were much less representational. Clarie admitted missing the variety of dildos in shapes like dolphins and ice cream cones.
– How immediately after 9/11 when Lower Manhattan was restricted they convinced the NYPD to let them into the shop so they could pay the employees and then ended up discussing toys and giving them cock rings and dildos.
– This one was super fun! You can put a walnut in a Fleshlight Vulva for use when teaching about the clitoris… that’s really cool!
– Playing with a Sqweel 2.. okay, that’s not a topic but come on, that’s awesome!
I couldn’t not buy this.
I had such an awesome time hanging out at Babeland! Thank you so much to Claire for taking the time to meet with me, to Pamela, for setting everything up and to the entire staff for not all judging me when I left one of the country’s best sex shops with a vibrator that I selected based solely on its pirate pattern!
As if all that wasn’t enough Claire also took the time to answer the Seven Superhero Sex Shop Questions! Check it out:
What makes Babeland LES unique?
Our Lower East Side store is the first store we opened in New York. I think it carries the early history of Babeland in New York, when we were still on something of a shoestring budget and doing whatever it took to get the message of sexual liberation out there. While we have remodeled and rebranded since we opened this store in 1998, and the neighborhood has changed around us, that location still feels a little more DIY than the other locations.
Entering a sex shop for the first time can be daunting. Any advice to first time shoppers?
The newcomer should definitely go to Babeland for their first time, and that’s the truth. They won’t feel like they’ve stepped out of their lives and into the mind of someone who likes to be surrounded by mainstream porn imagery, the more the better! They’ll be able to hear their own internal erotic voice better at a friendlier store.I’d advise them not to take it too seriously and try to have fun! Sex can be a lot of fun, and shopping for toys can be a blast.Take their time, bring a friend if there’s someone they’d like to share this part of their lives with. They’ll probably learn a lot about that person!
Any favorite moments/great stories?
Most of my favorite moments took place in that store.
There’s the time the detectives came in to ask us about a burglary that took place around the corner. They started out just like Law and Order, like Jerry Orbach and Jesse Martin, but the real thing. Next thing I knew the one who was in charge told me that he wanted to have anal sex with is wife and needed to know how to do it.Oh, of course. Then there was the time that a group of resident counselors from NYU come to Babeland for a sex training, and a total stranger started to tell them about the G-spot and female ejaculation. She was about their grandparents’ age and must have felt it was her duty to pass along the truth. That made me so happy to have done something to make that interaction possible.
You’re trapped on a desert island (that contains a magical tree which grows batteries and has an electrical outlet in the trunk). What 5 sex toys/products available from Babeland do you want with you?
(Follow the links to check out the products at one of my associate shops.)
Well, unless there’s a lube spring on the island (lube spring- how did I never think of that?!), I would for sure take a slippery,long-lasting lube like Maximus, BabeLube or Sliquid. I would take the Hitachi Magic Wand for it’s longevity and reliability.I would have to bring the Gee Whiz attachment. I’d take Buck, the Vixskin dildo, and the Form 2 vibe by Jimmyjane for variety, and to feel sophisticated, as time took its toll.
What is your favorite toy material? Why?
I am currently way into Vixskin, which is the most human-feeling material that dildos are made of. It’s beautiful, fleshy, and a great achievement in dildo tech.
What is the most popular item at Babeland LES location?
The We-Vibe 3. It’s the bestseller at ALL of our locations.Woo-hoo for my sponsor We-Vibe!
Any cool upcoming projects?
We’re celebrating our 20th Anniversary this year. Among other things, we’ve chosen our top 20 game-changing toys, the Babeland’s Best, and we’re highlighting them and offering free gifts with purchase all year long. Rachel Venning, the other Babeland co-founder, and I are tweeting at @BabelandVulva all year, and there will be great parties and fun things for customers to experience.
Babeland is located in New York at
94 Rivington St
New York, New York 10002
43 Mercer St
New York, New York 10013
462 Bergen St
Brooklyn, New York 11217
Babeland is located in Washington at
707 E Pike St
Seattle, Washington 98122
Find them online at www.babeland.com
Twitter:
@Babeland_Toys
@Babeland_NYC
@Babeland_Sea
Babeland NYC Classes and Events
Babeland Seattle Classes and Events
*I am aware that when discussing Babeland I always do the hipster thing of being like “I was there back when it was Toys in Babeland”
