The surging popularity of E.L. James’ 50 Shades of Grey is evidently responsible for a rise in sales at one Charleston adult toy store and new customers at another.
According to Laura, the manager of Guilty Pleasures on Ashley Phosphate, fans of 50 Shades of Grey have flocked to her store to buy some of the toys featured in the mommy porn best-seller. Eager beavers have come to the store seeking ben wa balls, blindfolds, handcuffs, massagers, and bondage bars, a stiff bar attached to the wrists or ankles for the purpose of keeping either the hands or legs apart.
For Laura (last name withheld), the kinky adventures of 27-year-old billionaire hunk Christian Grey and his sex kitten subbie Anastasia Steele in 50 Shades of Grey has inspired people to explore their sexual fantasies. “Anytime that aspect of people’s sexual lives is out there and more public, people don’t feel as dirty,” she says.
Laura says that the typical 50 Shades customers are male-and-female couples. She notes that the store is geared toward couples and women.
Meanwhile, over at Generation X on Cross Country road, the manager (who wished to remain unnamed) says that at least two men have bought items like blindfolds and floggers at the request of their wives. She says that the male customer’s wives were members of book clubs that were reading the S&M trilogy.
The Generation X manager says that one of her employees is a big fan of 50 Shades of Grey but another couldn’t get into it. As for herself, she has only read parts.
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