After a rare move from an adult store to the church (the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, to be exact), Brianna McKnight realized where her true calling lied, and came back to Fantasy Gifts as their sex educator, social media coordinator and events consultant.
(NOTE: This story appears in the December 2024 issue of SE Magazine.)
Brianna McKnight wears several hats at Fantasy Gifts NJ. She is the chain’s sex educator, social media coordinator and events consultant. McKnight, whose undergraduate degree is in psychology and focused on sexuality and gender studies, started as a part-time salesperson. She took the part-time job because she saw the value in engaging people in discussions about pleasure and the body.
Despite enjoying the work, McKnight needed benefits and left for a full-time counseling position at the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. She continued writing reviews for Fantasy Gifts NJ while working at the Archdiocese. That job restricted what she could discuss with clients, and, feeling stifled, she asked Fantasy Gifts NJ owner Dee Bertino if she had anything full-time open. Bertino didn’t want to let McKnight get away again and created a role as the in-house sex educator for her, allowing her to branch out to educate staff, manage the website and engage on social media.
SE Legal Correspondent Larry Kaplan spoke with Brianna McKnight about the joys and challenges of wearing several hats for the New Jersey adult store chain.
SE: As well as sex educator, you’re Fantasy Gifts’ event coordinator. Tell us about that role.
McKnight: We had event rooms at each location when I first started. We initially just used them for home parties, which involved demonstrations as well as games and whatnot. I wanted to do more with the space. One of the first new events we held was a sensual showcase. I wanted to spotlight artists who put their art in a space of body positivity or sexuality; they’re also a part of the community. We had an excellent turnout for the first event. Our manager, Alex (Decker), started assisting by staging events too. She’s done a Pride mixer and drag shows. I love Alex’s participation because we both have so many ideas that we’re throwing in there, and we can use that space for more than just home parties.
SE: What does a typical workweek look like for you? How much time do you spend on sex education, social media, and event planning?
McKnight: It varies. I spend a few hours on social media daily, create content and host the monthly sip-and-shop events with discounts and raffles. Some events, like workshops with the New Jersey Trans Equity Union, require more planning and coordination. I also manage the weekly training for the associates and do lingerie and greeting cards in the stores, so my week depends on current needs.

SE: What kind of a crowd do you get for the sip-and-shop?
McKnight: Attendance varies across the stores. Younger women and couples tend to come to Turnersville, while Marlton primarily draws couples. It’s too soon to know about our newest store in Lumberton. The events are relatively new, and we rotate them between the three stores each month. We’ve only hosted a few, so we’re still gathering data.
SE: You wear several hats; which of your roles do you find most gratifying? And why?
McKnight: Oh, it’s the educational part. I never imagined calling myself an educator. I love being an advocate and am still learning as I teach. I also learn from our associates, who share insights from communities like BDSM, allowing us to support each other’s growth.
SE: You’re working on your master’s in human sexuality. Can you expand a little more on your role as an educator?
McKnight: My role in education goes beyond pleasure to include topics like consent, inclusion and injustice. It’s crucial for us to carry products that affirm all identities, whether trans, larger-bodied or disabled. To say we see you and we want you as a part of our family, that also really helps. It shows that we’re a safe space for them as well. We’re able to welcome them and see the value in them.
SE: Do you post educational materials on your website?
McKnight: Yes, I write blogs and produce educational content on topics like Juneteenth and gender-affirming care, which are shared on our website, TikTok and Instagram.
A lot of our customers are women and couples. We don’t cater to the creepy man in that trench coat. And I feel like building that community with women and couples and queer people is more helpful in sales. Because if people trust you, they will want to come back.
— Fantasy Gifts Manager, Alex Decker
SE: Is there much variance in your clientele between the stores? If so, what’s different?
McKnight: There is some variation. Turnersville’s a mixed bag of people, but we have much more foot traffic. Those are people who buy more impulsively versus more planful spending. They tend to get a lot of smaller, cheaper products. At Marlton, we have more affluent white heterosexual couples coming in, and they’re buying the bigger, higher-quality products. The Lumberton store only opened last year, so we don’t have an accurate picture yet. But so far, most shoppers seem to be walk-up CIS customers seeing someone of the opposite gender, making smaller impulse buys.
SE: Generally, what are your customer demographics? What percentage of your customers are men, women, couples, LGBTQ and nonbinary?
McKnight: We see many men buying enhancement pills to use with a partner, heterosexual couples and increasing numbers of lesbian, trans and nonbinary customers, though these groups are still smaller in numbers.
SE: How do you draw customers into your stores? Is there a market segment that you’re particularly interested in? Maybe one that’s eluded you, that you’re trying to get. Or do you do you look at bolstering loyalty for existing customers?
McKnight: We’ve engaged at community events, like attending the South Jersey Pride event in September, where many locals first discovered that we’re a physical store. Despite our paying for Yelp ads for decades, many Pride attendees said that they thought we only had an online store. Visitors were spinning a wheel for free prizes and coupons. This presence and our boosted social media have strengthened our connection with the community.
SE: How do you find the best results from social media marketing? What platforms generate the most interest for you?
McKnight: We’ve just been trying different platforms and reviewing what has and has not been working. We’ve found many really short “quick tips” videos that are good for us. Also, a lot of the queer sex and sex education stuff I do works. I’ll have people come in, see me, and say, “Oh my gosh, I had no idea,” and then thank me.
SE: What about Facebook?
McKnight: Facebook attracts a local, older demographic, mainly white women in their 40s and 50s. It’s less powerful than before but still somewhat functional.
SE: Does social media drive more traffic to your website or the stores?
McKnight: It’s both. Social media attracts national attention and online sales, while our in-person efforts drive local store visits.
SE: What makes a successful promo for you? And what types of posts can generate the most consumer interest?
McKnight: Trendy, engaging posts, interactive content, memes and funny videos do well. For example, a video about using a cock ring got over 20,000 views due to a humorous mishap where the cock ring accidentally swung off. I think it’s because it almost shot me in the eye.
SE: What’s the best part of your job, and what’s most challenging?
McKnight: The best part is the education piece; I enjoy learning. If I could get paid to be a student, I’d be a student for the rest of my life. Always finding new stuff and being able to share that information are some of my favorite things.
The most challenging is the learning curve with social media. It’s not something I was trained to do; I just had to pick it up. Realistically, the thought behind it is easy; it’s more just trying to fit the image. I’m someone who personally doesn’t use social media that often. I have it, but I’m not posting regularly. If it weren’t for work, I definitely wouldn’t have it. So I would say that is the hardest part.
Larry Kaplan has been the Legal Correspondent for ED Publications for 24 years. Mr. Kaplan is a broker in the sale and purchase of adult retail stores and adult nightclubs and the Executive Director of the ACE of Michigan adult nightclub state trade association. Contact Larry Kaplan at 313-815-3311 or email larry@kaplanstoresales.com.
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