Toy Stores in LA

[eastbayguy]

I have to road trip to LA on Saturday for the day, more or less. I know about the Pleasure Chest. But, I recall a few past postings here about either better selection or better prices at a couple of other shops in the LA area. (This is a side trip, not the primary reason I'm going.) Something in the same general vicinity of the Pleasure Chest would be good. A store in Orange County is way out of the way.

 

Suggestions welcomed, please. TIA

 

--EBG

[+ deej]

I just consulted with my current muscle-bound pornstar-escort houseguest. (The things I do for you guys! ;-))

 

He sez Pleasure Chest is pretty much your best bet. Although you might want to check out Drakes. They have two stores, one in WeHo and one on Melrose. The Melrose store is bigger.

 

But Pleasure Chest is the most likely candidate in his opinion.

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

Toys

 

There are two stores in the heart of boystown, both on Santa Monica Boulevard between San Vicente and Robertson: Drakes and Unicorn. Pleasure Chest is also is West Hollywood, but further east, also on Santa Monica Boulevard between Fairfax and Gardner. Pleasure Chest is bigger than both Drakes and Unicorn and, if you have something particular in mind, the selection of sex toys would likely be better at Pleasure Chest. However, pricewise, either Drakes and Unicorn are better and their selection of basic toys is likely quite satisfactory.

 

Finally, my personal favorite is also in West Hollywood on Santa Monica Boulevard, at the corner of La Jolla called Circus of Books. They have the best prices on lube, toys, etc. as well as a good selection of hard to find books and magazine (not all classifiable as erotic) and a very large selection of DVDs and Video for rent and sale, much larger than the other three stores. These four establishments are all near enough to each other that anyone can easily shop them all.

 

If you are looking for a particular sex toy at a very good price, I would consider checking out the link for Picturebrite, which is a sponsor of male4male and thus would throw some change Garbo's way. I have referred the site to a few friends and clients, who have had nothing but good luck ordering from them; I just have not found cause to use them personally.

[Guest BlueSpark]

> A store in Orange County is way out of the way.

Hey what is wrong with OC

 

Circus is a fun place. Like Franco mentioned they have a large vieo / DVD library and a fair amount of toys. The Pleasure Chest isn't what it used to be. It has become a straight date night hang out lately. But those hot straight twinks can be fun to watch especially when they're playing with the rubber cocks

[eastbayguy]

Here's a quickie trip report:

 

WeHo was jammed on Saturday with wee hos out and about, enjoying the glorious weather and the scenery. I stopped by the Abbey briefly, had a couple drinks and ran in to a couple people I knew. Always a nice surprise. Was going to stop at Mickey's, but didn't feel like joining the line. So, I headed up the street to the Pleasure Chest.

 

As one poster noted, this place is but a shadow of it's former self. Has definitely evolved from a gay toy store to sort of a metrosexual toy store. Lots of lesbians, who were busy freaking out everyone, gay, straight and metrosexual alike. (One pair of lesbians was trying out a flogger, with increasing intensity and decreasing attire, to the increasing dismay of several patrons.) Only one or two gay men were present. The place was just jammed with straight couples, seemingly all on their first date. If you want to see homophobia at work, try reading the label on a bottle of lube next to a straight couple. They scatter like the morning mist!

 

The store now has a DJ on Saturday nights, spinning away. The music was good, if a bit strange. You'd expect the sound track of a porno, perhaps. But a DJ? The sum of the parts at the Pleasure Chest these days don't quite add up, and the DJ just adds to the overall weirdness quotient somehow. (Not that weirdness is bad, mind you.) There was a small gaggle of homeless people at the door, pleading for funds as you enter. The manager went out and chased them away a couple times. The neighborhood really isn't scary at all, or maybe I just didn't notice. There is a walled parking lot, with a very private entrance to the store.

 

The Pleasure Chest still stocks just about every toy known to man (and woman) and perhaps beast. They don't have everything out on display, and if you're looking for a particular item, you may have to ask a staff member to help you find it. Some of the stuff they used to carry is no more like stocks and bondage furniture. The staff is pleasant and well informed, and occasionally, to this observer, quite hot!

 

The selection of lube is huge and all encompassing. Read carefully before buying. (This may not be news to you but was to me.) Lots of lube manufacturers have greatly expanded their product lines and very similar bottles aren't necessarily the old favorite. Since my purpose in going to the Pleasure Chest was stocking up on lube, I bought a bunch, including some new to me types. Experimenting is good, 'eh?

 

Prices are more aggressive than they used to be. I was pretty surprised by how cheap some of the lubes and other things are there relative to other stores, especially here. Castle Megastore, our local big chain is 4X on some items over the Pleasure Chest. Zorba's, a local shope is 2X in some cases. It really does pay to shop around a little.

 

I did end up buying one item I wanted from Picture Brite, to hopefully toss a couple schekels in Hoo's direction. I also checked out CondomExpress.com, which has a huge selection but whose prices aren't all that great.

 

If you're in LA, definitely worth checking out.

 

--EBG

[eastbayguy]

>I just consulted with my current muscle-bound pornstar-escort

>houseguest. (The things I do for you guys! ;-))

 

Just out of curiosity, how does one acquire a muscle-bound, pornstar-escort as a houseguest? If you hear of any muscle-bound, pornstar-escorts in need of a roof over their head, a pool to tan by and other domestic accoutrement, drop me a note. I'm tired of rattling around alone in my expansive domicile.

 

--EBG

 

P. S. Today just felt like a good day to excercise the vocabulary.

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

Discount Lube

 

>

>The selection of lube is huge and all encompassing. Read

>carefully before buying. (This may not be news to you but was

>to me.) Lots of lube manufacturers have greatly expanded

>their product lines and very similar bottles aren't

>necessarily the old favorite. Since my purpose in going to

>the Pleasure Chest was stocking up on lube, I bought a bunch,

>including some new to me types. Experimenting is good, 'eh?

>

>Prices are more aggressive than they used to be. I was pretty

>surprised by how cheap some of the lubes and other things are

>there relative to other stores, especially here. Castle

>Megastore, our local big chain is 4X on some items over the

>Pleasure Chest. Zorba's, a local shope is 2X in some cases.

>It really does pay to shop around a little.

>

 

One the twinks had access to a discount for items at Pleasure Chest and even with that discount, the lube I would purchase (Frixion in large bottles or Wet) was less expensive at Circus of Books. Yes, Pleasure Chest does have some wierd lubes. They also have some harder to find lubes available in retail (i.e., Falcon's brand) as well as the complete selection of Eros in every size, include the jumbo refill size. However, when you price what is available at Pleasure Chest as far as lube goes to the price for the same item at Circus of Books or even Drakes/Unicorn. In fact, in some instances, the chain drug stores, like Sav-On can also be less expensive.

 

I can see how Pleasure Chest can be viewed as lower prices than adult stores in either Tucson or Phoenix. I have also noticed the price of lube and condoms was absurd when I needed to buy some in Boston, Washington, D.C. (even in Dupont Circle), Portland (almost non-existent), some locations in Chicago, and elsewhere on my travels. That is why I think Picture Brite (and some other vendors) can be a good value for some people in certain locations.

 

Pleasure Chest is the last place I personally go in Los Angeles to look for condoms or lube at a good price.

[eastbayguy]

RE: Discount Lube

 

>>It really does pay to shop around a little.

>>

>

 

>

>I can see how Pleasure Chest can be viewed as lower prices

>than adult stores in either Tucson or Phoenix. I have also

>noticed the price of lube and condoms was absurd when I needed

>to buy some in Boston, Washington, D.C. (even in Dupont

>

>Pleasure Chest is the last place I personally go in Los

>Angeles to look for condoms or lube at a good price.

 

This trip, I was a little pressed for time. So, there wasn't time to personally explore all options. Next time I'm over that way, I'm definitely going to check out Circus of Books--I've been there before I believe. I do appreciate everyone's posts on this topic, as do others, I'm sure.

 

I've had some really bad luck with online purchases in the adult arena. As a result, I'm now overly cautious about using my credit cards for buying anything online that is adult related. About the only online billing service I will use is CCBill. If something goes wrong, I know they'll fix it.

 

--EBG

[Guest manmuncher]

RE: Discount Lube

 

Also in WEHO is 665 Leather, on Santa Monica near Robertson - good place to shop, some unusual items, nice vibe, friendly help. In Silverlake I would recommend the Circus of Books at Sunset Junction, or Mr. S Leather on E. Melrose, although their selection of lubes is limited. (On the up side, they stock lots of things for which copious amounts of lube make the impossible...possible.:9) A new store I stopped into is also on Sunset, Rough Trade - 2nd floor of a storefront, just E of Circus. Definitely worth a look. All of the above are almost exclusively gay oriented.