Pioneering sex-positive retailer builds on a groundbreaking legacy to shape the future of pleasure, freedom and sexual wellness
The Pleasure Chest is celebrating 55 years in business after opening its first storefront in New York’s West Village in 1971, a gritty, creative neighborhood changing fast as people pushed publicly for greater freedom around sexuality, LGBTQ+ identity, kink and expression.
Widely recognized as one of the first modern, open adult retailers in the United States, The Pleasure Chest broke with convention when founders Duane Colglazier and Bill Rifkin refused to cover the windows with XXX signage. They wanted customers to shop without shame or embarrassment, making buying pleasure products feel as comfortable as walking into a department store to buy a table and chairs. To do that, they opened The Pleasure Chest with a mission that was direct and radical for the time: everyone has a fundamental right to pursue sexual fulfillment.
The idea was radical not only culturally, but within the industry where many retailers were just selling sex. The Pleasure Chest was creating something different: a unique experience and lifestyle. So while other adult retailers came and went, The Pleasure Chest persevered through decades of cultural change, shifting attitudes around pleasure and plenty of resistance, while expanding to two additional locations: Los Angeles in 1975 and Chicago in 1977.
That expansion was driven by the company’s activism and willingness to push boundaries around identity, kink, pleasure and intimacy. The stores themselves became part of television, film, music and pop culture, from Pulp Fiction to Sex and the City, all while pioneering a sex-positive culture that supported the sexual growth, exploration and fulfillment of generations of customers. Read more about The Pleasure Chest’s history.
“We rock people’s boats, and we’ve done it for decades,” said Brian Robinson, nephew of founder Duane Colglazier and owner of The Pleasure Chest for 30 years. He says nearly everyone he meets has a story about the store, from trying to sneak in before they were 18 to bringing friends from out of town, celebrity sightings and even oversharing what they bought.
That staying power goes beyond nostalgia and is rooted in customers’ personal interactions with staff. Today, The Pleasure Chest continues to shape societal views of intimate pleasure—not only through its diverse selection of products, but by creating safe, welcoming spaces for education, exploration and open conversation. Pleasure Chest locations offer inclusive classes and happy hours every month, fostering the very connection and community it was founded on.
After 55 years, the products are different, but the goal is the same: create more places, more conversations and more ways for people to find their own happy ending.
Throughout September, The Pleasure Chest will be celebrating its anniversary with offers including:
- 55 toys priced under $55
- Free shipping on online orders over $55 at ThePleasureChest.com
- $5,500 in prizes through a month-long in-store photo contest
- City-specific in-store exclusives and stickers, free with qualifying purchases of $55 and $197.10
- Month-long Magic Wand sale starting Labor Day, we’ll shine a spotlight on this iconic legacy in pleasure
For more information please visit thepleasurechest.com
