Intimita Novelties co-founders Lance Burden and Fiona Dunn bring years of expertise in adult retail to the wholesale space, aiming to improve the customer experience.
(Note: This article appears in the October 2025 issue of SE Magazine.)
Lance Burden didn’t just decide to go into the adult industry — he grew up in it. “When I was about six years old, my parents opened an adult store, so I’ve always been around the industry,” he shares, adding that he worked at the shop years later.
It was there, at French Quarter Lingerie in Menifee, California, that Burden met his future business partner and co-founder of Intimita Novelties, Fiona Dunn. The pair ultimately teamed up to transform what was, at the time, a stereotypical mom-and-pop boutique, but their ambitions eventually outgrew retail.
From retail roots to wholesale visions
Those years working at French Quarter Lingerie provided Burden and Dunn with valuable insights into consumer behavior, inspiring their vision for an elevated shopping experience.
“We decided to start Intimita Novelties as a way to apply the knowledge and experience we had gained from the store, and applied it on a larger scale,” says Burden.
“So many stores don’t really focus on the customer experience. We aim to change that.”
— Lance Burden
For both Burden and Dunn, the primary principle driving their brand isn’t only to offer high-quality products, but also to offer high-quality product displays, a component that adult retailers often overlook.
“So many stores don’t really focus on the customer experience,” Burden notes. “We aim to change that. What really makes us stand out is our heavy focus on interactive
displays. I don’t think many people understand the sheer importance of it.”
Dunn agrees, noting that while inclusivity and accessibility are at the heart of their designs, they also aim to educate customers.
“There are still a lot of people who may be too shy to talk to a sales associate,” she explains. “So, I think having displays that answer basic questions, as well as having
a sample right there for them to feel and look at makes it easier to break that barrier between customer and product.”
Ditching fixed kits for personalized play
The Intimita Novelties debut collection, Empower Play, takes a colorful approach to the customer experience, offering accessories that help make BDSM more inclusive,
approachable and less intimidating.
“People want a pink flogger, or a purple blindfold, not just the same black-on-black options,” Dunn points out.
Additionally, a “Build Your Own Bondage Kit” concept gives customers the flexibility to mix and match styles.
“In stores, people can feel trapped when they get BDSM kits with five items, but they only want two of them,” Burden points out while describing the Empower Play interactive product display. “It allows customers to choose different colors and items, make their own kit and feel more in control.”
The model has already proven effective with retailers loving that Intimita Novelties makes upselling easy with signage offering customers a free gift with their new BDSM kits.
Looking ahead
Recently, Intimita Novelties released its second collection, Joy, a line of vibrators for women, and has five additional product lines in development.
“All of our future projects are heavily focused on interactivity and clean, inviting displays,” Burden tells us. “We want to make it easy for customers to learn, explore
and feel comfortable, even if they’re too shy to ask a sales associate questions.”
Looking to the future, they are focused on steady growth, building on the brand little by little. According to Dunn, their retail experience remains their most valuable asset.
“We’re still applying everything we learned from working behind the counter to what we do today,” she emphasizes. “At the end of the day, it’s about creating products and
displays that make the customer experience better, and help retailers sell more.”
For more information, visit www.shopintimita.com.
