Two decades ago, an adult store owned by a woman with an all-female staff — one that also caters to women, couples and the LGBTQ communities — was practically unheard of. But today, stores like Dee Bertino’s three Fantasy Gifts locations in New Jersey are more the norm than ever. Here, Bertino explains why she gravitated to this industry, and what she enjoys most about owning and operating her trio of locations.
(NOTE: This story appears in the December 2024 issue of SE Magazine.)
Dee Bertino may have “married into” the family business, but it’s much more than an inheritance to her now. Bertino has been with Fantasy Gifts NJ for a quarter century, and she’s put her personal stamp on the trio of Fantasy Gifts NJ locations.
Initially a public defender, Bertino transitioned to managing the business, leveraging her legal background to navigate zoning battles and contract negotiations. The Fantasy Gifts stores in New Jersey (Marlton, Turnersville, Lumberton) emphasize employee education with weekly training sessions, and she’s empowered members of her all-female staff — specifically, Brianna McKnight and Alex Decker — to bring their own specific areas of expertise to the store’s operations (see the following stories on McKnight and Decker).
The New Jersey Fantasy Gifts NJ stores Bertino operates were established in 1991 and are operated separately from the Minnesota Fantasy Gifts stores, which have been operational since 1980 and are operated by Bertino’s sisters-in-law. ED Legal Correspondent Larry Kaplan spoke with Dee Bertino about the shift towards women in business and younger customers seeking sexual health education, the market for suburban stores, legal battles, and family dynamics.
SE: How long have you been with Fantasy Gifts NJ? How did it happen that you ended up running the stores?
Bertino: I married into it; I just celebrated 25 years. We’re Fantasy Gifts NJ; there’s also Fantasy Gifts Minnesota. My husband’s parents had started the business in 1980. We run separate entities now, but it was initially all one family business. Then, when my husband and I got married, he said it had always been his dream to work with his wife like his parents did. I was practicing law as a public defender and getting a little burned out. So I said, You know what, I’ll give it a go. And I ended up loving the business.
SE: What tools did your legal experience equip you with to help manage an adult retail chain?
Bertino: My legal knowledge has been invaluable, especially in First Amendment rights and zoning laws. Every new store faces zoning battles, and my legal background allows me to handle much of the research myself, saving costs and ensuring we’re protected.
A basic understanding of zoning laws and ordinances, the ability to read contracts and leases, and knowing how to protect ourselves from employee liability are beneficial for any business owner.
SE: Tell me about the legal battles you’ve fought.
Bertino: Most have involved zoning restrictions, where we often face opposition when opening new locations. Municipalities have frequently attempted to use various ordinances to prevent us from opening, making it costly and complicated to open. And in addition to your own legal costs, you realize you’re paying for the city’s attorneys. They have every advantage in the world to keep us out.
With multiple store chains, we’re our own best case study. Because we’re already in the communities, you can look at the lack of police presence at our stores or the lack of a decline in property values near our stores. These show there are no adverse secondary facts from our businesses.
With multiple store chains, we’re our own best case study. Because we’re already in the communities, you can look at the lack of police presence at our stores or the lack of a decline in property values near our stores. These show there are no adverse secondary facts from our businesses.
– Dee Bertino
SE: I understand that even after 30 years in operation, you have one store they’re still trying to shut down.
Bertino: Yes, we recently moved within the same strip mall, and the city argued that our conditional use didn’t transfer. After six months, a lot of legal wrangling, and significant legal costs, we finally got them to agree that it does, based on existing case law. It was ridiculous.
SE: What does the typical work week look like for you?
Bertino: We’re a small business, so you wear a lot of hats. I don’t know if there is such a thing as a typical work week, but usually, the day starts with reviewing the numbers. I’m a data nut, so I love crunching the numbers and seeing what’s moving and what’s not moving. We cull our inventory monthly; we eliminate dead SKUs, bringing in new ones. Then, in the afternoon. I have an employee meeting with GM Alex and Sex Educator Brianna; I have a great team. I might also have to step in and price merchandise. If the toilet needs cleaning, I’ll clean it. It’s a small business, and no job is beneath me.
SE: What changes have you witnessed in your stores and the industry at large in the last 25 years since you started?
Bertino: The industry now sees more women as business leaders, shifting the focus toward sexual health and education. And there’s been a shift in packaging and a shift in mindset on how to sell things. There’s been a huge emphasis now on sexual health and education, which I think is great. Our customer base has also become younger, with people in their 20s eager to explore and learn about their bodies. It’s really nice to be able to educate people about their own bodies.
SE: Aside from your husband, Fantasy Gifts NJ is an all-woman-run company. How has this helped you to achieve success?
Bertino: I don’t want to discount my husband. He isn’t involved in the day-to-day anymore because he runs another business, but he is still my partner and we bounce a lot of ideas off of each other.
A woman’s touch in merchandising and management is beneficial, especially in this industry. We merchandise differently, and we just think of things differently. Having a man’s input is valuable as well. We cater to men and women. So we want to always have something for every person who enters our stores. I empower my employees and encourage them to pursue career growth. Today, the adult retail industry offers women an equal footing that it didn’t 25 years ago.
SE: It was a different business with a very different clientele 25 years ago.
Bertino: It was very, very different. You’d sell the vibrators with naked women on the packaging, and that would never go over now.
SE: How has Fantasy Gifts NJ evolved in those 25 years while under your guidance?
Bertino: My legal background and my husband’s business expertise have brought structure to the company, implementing processes like weekly meetings and employee reviews to run things more professionally.
Employee education is our cornerstone. Ongoing training with weekly modules keeps staff informed, empowering them to answer customers’ questions. We ensure our employees are the best-trained people out there so that when someone comes in and they have a question, we have the knowledge to answer them.
– Dee Bertino
SE: What are the defining characteristics of a Fantasy Gifts NJ store? How do Fantasy Gifts NJ stores differ from other adult stores?
Bertino: Employee education is our cornerstone. Ongoing training with weekly modules keeps staff informed, empowering them to answer customers’ questions. We ensure our employees are the best-trained people out there so that when someone comes in and they have a question, we have the knowledge to answer them. This knowledge-driven approach offers a personalized experience that online shopping can’t provide.
I believe our mindset of training, training, training, constantly training works! Not only that, but I also feel that it empowers our employees. It makes them more excited to work there. It gives them a knowledge base. And so many people today are saying, I love this industry; I want to go and pursue a degree in human sexuality, or counseling or therapy. I think the most significant approach we’ve had is educating our employees. We train our employees to be pseudo-sex therapists. So that’s great; they can answer any questions, and the vendors are so great at supporting us in that training endeavor as well.
SE: What are some challenges and benefits of running a family-owned business?
Bertino: The biggest challenge is family disagreements; you can’t “fire” family. While it can lead to conflicts, family always comes first. Our business is our “third baby,” and we’re proud of creating a legacy for our two children.
SE: We noticed that your three stores all seem to be in smaller markets in New Jersey. Is that by design? And if so, why do you stay away from larger markets?
Bertino: It’s by design. When my father-in-law started Fantasy Gifts in Minnesota in 1980, he was among the first to pioneer this suburban model, seeing an untapped market in suburban women. We’ve continued that approach, which requires more mainstream merchandising and events than urban stores.
SE: What are your top-selling toy and novelty brands?
Bertino: Evolved, CalExotics, and Blush.
SE: What are your top-selling lubes?
Bertino: System Jo and Wicked.
SE: What’s your biggest pet peeve when buying products?
Bertino: When vendors ignore feedback on product concerns, especially with packaging. But I will say, overall, we work with great vendors and companies, we’ve cultivated strong relationships with them, and they do the work to ensure they have a presence in all our stores. And what I appreciate about all our suppliers is that despite only having three stores, they never treat us like a small account. And I can say that about almost every vendor we choose to work with.
SE: What’s the best part of your job, and what do you enjoy most about your stores and staff?
Bertino: The best part of my job is its unconventionality. It’s fun and certainly makes me entertaining at parties. Everyone wants to know about what we do. I enjoy my employees and my staff. I’ve been doing this for 25 years, and I think there are a lot of people who can’t say that every day, they wake up and feel like they enjoy going to work. I also enjoy the flexibility of being a small business owner. I love to travel. That’s my primary passion in life. Being a small business owner with a good staff, I can indulge in that passion probably more than most people, and I feel blessed to have that flexibility.
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.