Passions manager Eli Anderson explains how the store’s all-inclusive presentation and approach has garnered a favorable reputation in Kansas City, and has helped them routinely attract first-time shoppers.
(Note: This article was published in the February issue of SE Magazine.)
Passions Adult Boutique Kansas City has earned a reputation as a kink-forward, queer-centered adult boutique that remains deeply welcoming to customers of all backgrounds and experience levels. From custom, in-house leather production to a hands-on, pressure-free shopping environment, the store prioritizes education, inclusivity and comfort.
In this interview with StorErotica Legal Correspondent Larry Kaplan, Passions Kansas City manager Eli Anderson reflects on how he found his way to Passions during a period of personal transition, why it’s now home, how the store’s identity has evolved and what truly sets the Kansas City location apart in a crowded retail landscape.
SE: Tell me about how you got started with Passions Adult Boutiques and what you were doing before that.
Anderson: Passions owner Jimmy Gruender and I were friends for about a year before he moved to Kansas City and bought this business with his father, Eugene. One day, out of the blue, he called me and said, “Hey, I might buy a business. What would you think about working with me?” I knew he already owned another adult store, and I was familiar with it, but I didn’t know if this new one would be similar or something entirely different.
SE: What were you doing for work back then?
Anderson: I actually wasn’t working at the time. I had recently gotten divorced and was really just trying to figure out my life. Before that, I had been a hairdresser.
SE: The Kansas City Passions store has a reputation as a kink-forward, queer-centered space that’s still very welcoming to everybody. How do you define the store’s identity?
Anderson: All-inclusive, everybody is welcome. Our clientele comes from all different backgrounds, and as soon as someone walks into the store, it’s pretty much like we’re all the same.
SE: Kansas City is the only Passions location with an in-house leather line. As a manager, how does producing your own leather goods shape the customer experience?
Anderson: We have an established clientele, so people keep coming back over and over to get new leather items. They’ll order something they don’t already have, or they’ll come in with an idea for something original, and our guys will make it happen. We also get new clients who walk in, look around, and say, “Oh, I’m just curious to see how this would look on me.”
We already have items out on the floor for them to try on. If it doesn’t fit perfectly or they’re not totally comfortable, that’s when we let our Leather Masters staff step in and create something custom just for them.
SE: Do you get a lot of word-of-mouth business for your leather stock?
Anderson: Yes, pretty much all of our new clients come from word of mouth. We also have regular clients who are popular on social media. Someone sees a photo of them wearing a piece from here and asks where they got it, and that’s how people find us. When they walk in, they often say, “Oh my God, I never knew you guys were here this whole time.”
“Our windows don’t project shame or secrecy—it’s very open and inviting. From the outside, it looks like a real boutique. When you walk in, you see clothing up front, and then more products in the back. It feels intentional and welcoming the moment you step inside.”
— Eli Anderson
SE: It has to be personally and professionally gratifying to know you’re filling a need with inventory people didn’t even realize existed. How do you help customers, especially first-time customers, navigate kink-focused products while keeping the environment approachable?
Anderson: You can usually tell who’s new. They’ll walk in and avoid talking to you or seem really shy. I approach them, do my best to make them feel welcome, explain the store’s story, talk about the owners and staff and go over the kinds of products we carry. They might see a display item but not understand how it works. We let them touch it, see it and, in the case of toys, even turn it on. That helps a lot with warming people up. I don’t push sales at all; I pretty much just let them look. Eventually, they’ll come to you with questions.
SE: They’re going to remember that you weren’t that pushy person pressuring them to buy something.
Anderson: Exactly. There’s no rush for anyone to purchase. Some people spend a long time just looking around. They’ll come up and ask how things work or what something is for, and I share whatever knowledge I have. When I started here, I didn’t know anything. My coworkers taught me pretty much everything I know.
SE: Aside from the other Passions store you visited before the Kansas City location opened, had you ever been to another adult store before you started working here?
Anderson: Yes, but only the old-school, gas-station-type of stores with arcade booths and extremely limited inventory, where you couldn’t try anything. Here, we have display items people can try on in our fitting room, harnesses, belts and clothing. And as I said, if a harness or another item doesn’t fit perfectly, we can customize it for them.
Another thing I’ve noticed is how unexpected the experience can be for people. It might be 11 a.m., and I’ve had no customers all morning. Then a woman walks in, very shy. She looks like she just dropped her kids off at school and decided to go shopping. At first, she’s shocked, like, “Oh my God, I’m in an adult store.” But once she walks around, she realizes we’re just like any other store.
SE: Aside from your welcoming environment and friendly, knowledgeable sales staff, what else accounts for the success of the store?
Anderson: A big part of it is that we have display items people can touch, see and learn how to use. We also have a very large selection of products, and we’re happy to open anything so customers can see it if it’s not already on display. If they’re curious about a particular item, we have enough knowledge to guide them and help them understand what it’s for.
SE: Are there any particular categories or trends that are doing especially well right now?
Anderson: The Rose is still very popular. Also, the realistic looking dongs—they’re very skin-like and extremely soft.
SE: Why do you think those products are doing so well right now?
Anderson: People come here not to replace a human being, but to get something that’s similar and close to that experience.
SE: What feedback do you hear most often from customers after their first visit to the store?
Anderson: Because we have such a large selection, people often say, “You guys have so much inventory,” and they’ll buy a lot of items. Some customers might only get one or two things at first, but they become repeat clients. They keep coming back again and again, buying something new each time. Sometimes they already know what they want to get on their next visit, which is really beautiful and amazing to see.
SE: That’s great for both them and you. What ultimately sets your store apart from other adult stores in the Kansas City area?
Anderson: It’s how organized and clean the store is. Our windows don’t project shame or secrecy—it’s very open and inviting. From the outside, it looks like a real boutique. When you walk in, you see clothing up front, and then more products in the back. It feels intentional and welcoming the moment you step inside.
Larry Kaplan is a broker specializing in the sale and purchase of adult retail stores and adult nightclubs, and the Executive Director of ACE of Michigan, the state trade association for adult nightclubs. For 25 years, Mr. Kaplan has been the Legal Correspondent for ED Publications. Contact Larry Kaplan at 313-815-3311 or email larry@kaplanstoresales.com.
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