(Note: This story appears in the June 2023 issue of SE Magazine)
SE Store Spotlight by Larry Kaplan
“Without them, there’s no me”
New Fine Arts GM Charles Chapman gravitated to the adult retail world 12 years ago and hasn’t looked back. Here, he discusses why the right employees are so crucial for a store’s success, and notes which products are consistently flying off of their shelves.
C
harles Chapman loves to work. Now the GM of the New Fine Arts East Mockingbird store, he almost always had two jobs. As he explains, it helped keep him busy and motivated.
Before adult retail, Chapman worked part-time for a national auto parts chain and full-time as a roofing company driver. Then, around 2008, when the economy crashed, he ran into a friend who worked at a Dallas adult store, Odyssey Adult Video, that paid well with lots of overtime and was looking for help. With no roofing work as construction had come to a halt, Chapman started working there. He did well until the owner developed personal issues that had a negative effect on the store.
Then, a friend (fellow interviewee), Martin Puentes, convinced Chapman to work for him. Twelve years later, under Puentes’ mentorship, Chapman has moved up the ladder and is GM of the New Fine Arts East Mockingbird store.
StorErotica spoke with Charles Chapman about his love for helping people, what he expects from suppliers, and ensuring every customer and employee feels wanted and included.
SE: How do your customers at the Mockingbird store differ from the other New Fine Arts stores?
Chapman: Each store is different; the toys, employees, and clientele are each unique. We see a younger crowd, anywhere between about 21 and 40. Our Northwest Highway store has an older, more mature crowd.
SE: How much competition does your store have from other nearby stores? And what do you do to stand out from that competition?
Chapman: Nobody other than our Northwest Highway store competes with us. We’re both mega-stores versus smaller boutique stores with much less of an assortment of toys. The boutiques stock mainly high-end products, while we have more variety to choose from with low, middle, and high end. We have about 8,000 square feet, and I use every nook and cranny for something. I get a lot of new customers coming in saying they love the store and that we have far more items than any other store.
“For anything new, I need to offer store training to my employees so they can properly market the toy. If they’re unwilling to provide that training, I probably won’t carry it. In addition, if a toy messes up, I need the commitment that they’ll send me another toy. If they can provide that, more than likely, I’ll pick it up.”
– Charles Chapman
SE: How do you feel about the proliferation of products today, and what does a vendor have to do to get your shelf space with so much product out there?
Chapman: It’s a cliche, but I’ll ask, “What can you do for me? Are you willing to come to my stores and offer store training?” For anything new, I need to offer store training to my employees so they can properly market the toy. If they’re unwilling to provide that training, I probably won’t carry it. In addition, if a toy messes up, I need the commitment that they’ll send me another toy. If they can provide that, more than likely, I’ll pick it up.
SE: How comfortable are you with introducing new brands, and what catches your eye as a buyer with new stuff?
Chapman: With new brands, it depends on how the toy’s been presented. If it catches my eye on the Internet or goes viral on social media, chances are it will be a hit. So, for example, here we are, three years after its introduction, and the Rose is probably still the number one seller in the store because it remains on social media.
SE: I assume many of your older customers don’t even go online.
Chapman: Exactly. Those older people are more geared towards established brands. They want the old-school rabbits and other toys with batteries. With so much new stuff out there, stores must keep up. You’re not just catering to one crowd; you have gay, straight, and everybody else, and you must have products for them all. You can’t afford to have anyone feel discriminated against, that you don’t care about them because you don’t have the kind of products they’re seeking. I’m open to carrying anything that they may need. If they ask for something we don’t carry, I say, give me a week. I’ll see if I can get it.
SE: When you’re at tradeshows, what types of toys grab your attention first?
Chapman: I’m attracted to things new and different from what I currently carry. There must be something to separate the toy from the rest. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t pick up everything. There must be a reason; I have to feel it, that I can move it in my store.
SE: What’s the strongest trend in adult retail currently?
Chapman:: Suction toys, and the Rose, by far.
SE: How much autonomy do you have in running and buying for your store?
Chapman: Gary (Hartstein) leaves much of it up to us. That’s what I like about him; he trusts us to buy and to make decisions for the store. He’ll let me know if I’m doing anything he doesn’t like, and I’ll fix or change it. He’s very accessible for anything. He’s in the store multiple times a week. He stays on top of everything.
SE: Martin Puentes trained you and was your mentor. What have you learned from him that’s helped mold you into a strong manager and buyer?
Chapman: From a management standpoint, just being fair and open. He taught me the importance of being flexible and willing to work with people. The way you treat people reflects in how they perform for you. So if you treat them well, maybe sometimes buy them a meal to show your appreciation for the work they’re putting in, they’ll work harder and produce more for me. Their hard work makes the company and themselves more money and makes everyone happy.
As far as buying, Martin taught me to be selective, to pick and choose, and not just go pedal-to-the-metal and just start ordering stuff. You must be selective because you don’t want merchandise left on the shelf. He taught me that customers don’t want to see the same thing as when they last visited the store, so you must frequently move things around to keep everything fresh. I often ask employees for their input on where to move things. My employees are essential; without them, there’s no me.
Larry Kaplan has been the Legal Correspondent for ED Publications for 22 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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