Honey Gifts opened more than a decade ago as a classy option for women who want to pop into a sex shop that has the aura of a Parisian boutique.
While it might have a sugary-sweet interior with elegantly curated displays, Honey carries sex toys that would make Christian Grey blush.
Karyee and Cindy Yip started the business with the intention of offering women a place to browse for lingerie, sex toys, games, and accessories without having to step into somewhere seedy.
“A lot of the stores (at the time) didn’t cater to women,” explains staffer Danielle Gilmore. “[The Yips] wanted somewhere that they could create a friendly atmosphere. We do cater to women a little bit more, but their goal was to make it as comfortable a shopping experience for everybody.”
Cambie Street was their first location; today there is a shop in Gastown and one in New York. In Vancouver, Cambie is the busiest, says Gilmore, adding that they see a lot of couples coming in to shop together.
“Cambie tends to be a little bit more suburban-type people – couples that have been together for a long time or are just getting married. A lot of younger people, in their early 20s that are just getting married, are exploring their relationships. Then there are people who have been coming to our store since we opened. They know what they like, they know what we have, and they keep coming back.”
When asked if it’s fun to sell stuff to couples that she knows will go home and have sex, Gilmore laughs. “It’s fun to know that you are making a couple happy, that you are helping them with their communication. It’s a good feeling to make a couple happy.”
Keeping the focus on women, she says there are three toys that every female should have in her bedside table drawer: a Lelo Mia vibrator, which looks like a tube of lipstick (“good for travel,” she says), lubricant, and a Hitachi Magic Wand, which is one of the store’s biggest sellers.
“It’s big and it’s loud…but it’s kind of a classic,” Gilmore says without a hint of irony. Then adds, “It kind of makes everything easier.”
Beginners tend to tread lightly into the new realm of bedroom play – buying smaller vibrators, light handcuffs, a simple blindfold, Gilmore says.
“A lot of times they don’t know where to start,” she adds.
But with a few of Honey’s sweets, they probably won’t have any trouble finishing.
• Follow Niki Hope on Twitter at @NikiMHope
