When SE’s Kris Kay and Kristen Burke hit the road to visit stores along one of Florida’s most traveled highways, they had no idea they were about to embark on a full-blown Bill & Ted–style adventure, teleporting through time with every door they walked through.
(Note: This article appears in the December issue of SE Magazine.)
In the Tampa Bay area, there’s one road that can summon a collective groan with a single mention: U.S. Highway 19. Eternally under construction for reasons no one can quite pinpoint, traffic is frequently a topic of conversation. What people should be talking about, in my opinion, is the bizarre architectural time warp that lines each side of the highway.
On one side, a shiny new car wash will be arbitrarily sandwiched between a ‘90s-era shopping plaza and an overcrowded fast-food joint. On the other, a dilapidated building of ambiguous purpose with too many cars in the parking lot to be vacant. Driving this stretch of road is the closest anyone has come to cruising through an actual wormhole, and the generational disparities were even more apparent when SE’s Managing Editor Kris Kay and I spent a day visiting a few local sex shops along the highway.
One minute, we were stepping into an upscale boutique with ornate chandeliers dangling from the ceiling and sophisticated portraits on the walls. The next, we were walking into what can only be described as a seedy VFW hall in the midst of a porn enthusiast’s estate sale that featured vintage erotica, magazines and access to handmade arcade booths that had their 15 minutes of fame in the ‘80s. Ten bucks buys access to the booths all day, or until the customer drives away, which explained the parking lot full of men hanging out in their vehicles. Turns out, this establishment mainly attracts elderly exhibitionists, and Kris learned the hard way that just because the booths have doors doesn’t mean they will be used. It was at this point that we began to believe our adventure through time had taken a most serious turn.
Despite a few uncomfortable moments, our Excellent Adventure took us behind the scenes with local employees, managers and owners eager to talk about what’s selling, what’s tanking and the one product that kept their stores afloat in 2025. Along the way, we learned how some are utilizing store layouts, product displays and elevated customer experiences to drive foot traffic and boost sales.
A year marked by setbacks
Like most areas of the country, Tampa Bay has been hit hard by inflation, impacting both residents and business owners alike. So, it came as no surprise that when we asked the retailers we met to reflect on 2025, they all had the same thing to say: sales were bad. Really bad. Reasons varied, but with the exception of Cupid’s Boutique blaming the construction on U.S. 19, they all stemmed from one thing: a bad economy. When people are struggling to pay their electric bills, splurging on a new lingerie set or Bluetooth-enabled vibrator isn’t a priority.
“This is a store of wants, not needs,” says Michael, manager of XXX-Clusive Adult Store & Smoke Shop in Palm Harbor. “No one is buying anything other than the essentials.”
Even seemingly small economic shifts had ripple effects. At Intimate Desires in Palm Harbor, owners Adam and Dave told us they’re planning to relocate despite buying the store in the once-bustling shopping plaza just three years ago. After rising rent pushed out neighboring businesses, too many storefronts have remained empty, impacting foot traffic into the store.
Tariffs and confusion about tariffs also added to costs in 2025, forcing some stores to shrink orders while others passed the increases on to consumers already stretched thin. When economic factors are impacting stores to such a degree, something like the daily construction in front of Cupid’s Boutique can put a store out of business. Between the soundtrack of endless jackhammering and the dump trucks that have overtaken their parking lot for over a year, the store is barely making a profit.
“We have everything, except customers,” Gamage, one of the store’s three employees, tells us with a chuckle. Fortunately, there was one product in 2025 that drew in customers without fail.
The product keeping stores afloat
Despite a drop in profits this past year, every store we visited had overwhelming success selling sexual performance enhancements, with some going as far as to credit supplements for keeping them in business. Apparently, when budgets tighten, arousal becomes as essential as groceries and electricity, and customers will stock up accordingly.
App-controlled vibrators and lubes (especially JO) were also solid performers for these Tampa Bay retailers. Meanwhile, a few once-reliable categories took a hit. DVDs and magazines continue their slow fade into extinction, while the rise of medical marijuana facilities tanked smoke-shop sales, turning a former top-selling category into dead shelf space.
Brand recognition, or the lack of it, was another issue across multiple locations. Michael offered us some insight, telling us his customers don’t come in looking for products made by specific brands, nor are they familiar with even the biggest names in the industry. “Customers ask me what products are good,” he explains. “They don’t care what brand it is.”
This became a problem when one of the store’s bestselling lubes kept changing its packaging, confusing customers who began to think they’d stopped carrying it and often walked out empty-handed. That means more work for retailers educating customers, training staff and adding in-store signage to bridge the brand-awareness gap and keep sales moving.
“Customers ask me what products are good, they don’t care what brand it is.”
— Michael, XXX-Clusive Adult Store Manager
Merchandising done right
Effective merchandising in adult retail isn’t just about well-organized shelves and eye-catching window displays. It’s about creating an atmosphere where customers feel comfortable enough to shop, rather than pretending to browse as internal panic sets in, ultimately leading to a fake phone call and a brisk walk out the door. One of the first things I noticed upon walking into each store was how overwhelmed I felt by overstuffed wall displays and tight aisles. There was no desire to browse, only the desire to leave. Customers should be able to move freely, discover products naturally and not wonder if they’ve accidentally wandered into the stockroom.
Even a well-organized display can be overwhelming. Too often, I found myself reaching for a toy only to knock others off their hooks. Boxes scattered on the floor indicated I wasn’t alone in this experience. While slot walls can be a great way to exhibit products, there are few things I find more irritating than shopping in a store where the hooks are filled to the brim and sitting too close together. Instead of getting a closer look at a few products, I am distracted by the unavoidable game of Jenga I have to play to get things on and off hooks without disturbing anything. In this case, less is more, and a well-spaced-out wall display can make all the difference.
Seasonal merchandising is another tool that keeps things fresh. Holiday or themed displays are an instant attention-grabber, but catering to local events shows you truly know your customers. A Gasparilla display at Todd Couples Superstore in Port Richey caught my attention for just this reason, catering to locals and tourists who plan to attend the annual pirate festival in January. The store’s manager, Patricia, told us that while they have displays for major holidays like Halloween and Christmas, they also have seasonal displays for the area’s most popular events.
The Todd certainly had niche merchandising down, with sections specifically designed to appeal to those in the BDSM and plus-size communities. Doing so isn’t just inclusive; it’s smart business. When you tailor your displays to the people actually walking through the door, merchandising becomes less stressful and more successful.
Lighting that sets vibes
Two elements can make or break a customer’s shopping experience: lighting and signage. Too many stores we visited relied on harsh panel lighting that only works well in hospitals and schools. Larger stores can get away with intense lights, as high ceilings prevent them from frying shoppers’ retinas, but smaller shops benefit more from soft, warm illumination that immediately puts customers at ease.
Signage is equally important. Many customers aren’t comfortable enough to ask an employee where to find something, so without signs to guide them, they’re likely to walk out with nothing. Large, easily visible signage can make all the difference and put customers at ease the moment they walk through the door.
A model example of both, the owners of XXX-Clusive Adult recently upgraded to soft, white ceiling bulbs that are gentle on the eyes yet bright enough for customers to shop. Clusters of pendant lights also hang above key areas, creating a layered effect that contrasts nicely with neon signs directing customers to shoes, DVDs and other product sections, balancing function with ambiance.
“We want to educate people. We don’t want to just sell to them.”
— Patricia, Todd Couples Superstore Manager
Intimate Desires also nails the lighting game, combining soft white ceiling lights with elegant chandeliers to create a welcoming, boutique-like atmosphere. The store’s Vogue-worthy dressing room is also worth mentioning, featuring antique mirrors draped in lush greenery and a velour curtain tied on each side with golden tassels that set an upscale vibe for shoppers.
If these visits taught us anything, it’s that lighting and signage aren’t just functional. They set the tone and mood of the store, and when customers feel comfortable, they linger longer, browse more and ultimately fill their baskets.
The elevated experience works
Some adult stores don’t just sell products; They create an experience so good that customers frequently return. This wasn’t the case for most of the stores we visited, one had customers coming and going as if it wasn’t the middle of the day on a Friday. (Don’t these people have jobs?)
The doors of The Todd got a ton of action while we walked the floor with the store’s manager, Patricia, and as she showed us around, it quickly became clear why. It’s all of the extras. Unlike the other stores we visited, The Todd goes above and beyond to create an elevated experience for its customers, offering monthly drawings for a $100 gift card, educational pamphlets providing valuable information and tips and a Lube Testing Station where customers can taste lubes, compare textures and see what works for them.
“We want to educate people,” explains Patricia. “We don’t want to just sell to them.”
Another quiet superpower? The Todd had four staff members on the floor, three of whom were female. Stores consistently report that having women on the sales floor puts customers at ease and opens the door to more honest, productive conversations, yet this was the only store we visited that had female employees working at the time. We all know shoppers find women more approachable yet, for some reason, that doesn’t change who store owners hire. And if your first thought is that women wouldn’t be comfortable working in your store, they’re probably not comfortable shopping there either.
Something most of the stores offered, and one of the easiest ways to elevate customer experience, is discounts for dancers and couples. These kinds of perks go a long way in building customer loyalty.
Party on, retailers
If it’s been a while since you last stopped by another adult retail store, this is your cue to do so and get the creative juices flowing! Our Excellent Adventure sparked the imagination and then some, teaching us that the local adult retail landscape is part time capsule, part economic rollercoaster and part creative opportunity. Businesses are certainly struggling, but those that embrace thoughtful merchandising, clear signage, inviting lighting and customer-focused experiences are thriving, even throughout one of the toughest years in a while.
In a world where shoppers can travel through time (or at least feel like they can), remember that retailers who elevate their experience will be the ones customers return to again and again.
Be excellent to each other and party on, dudes!
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