Left: Sexyland Keysborough staff member Helen Mezzadra arranging the store’s lingerie section.By Shaun Inguanzo
DANDENONG’S sex retailers have hit back against claims they are blights on the city’s landscape.
On 7 June, Star first reported Dandenong mother Erin Taylor’s concern that the city had too many sex-related shops and brothels, as well as explicit billboard advertising.
Ms Taylor said she had taken offence to a billboard in Lonsdale Street promoting Keysborough store Sexyland.
But this week, Sexyland, and another retail store Club X, invited Star on a tour of their stores in an attempt to show the community how adult sex stores have changed from dingy, dirty and sleazy to become cleaner, mainstream and an important part of the business community.
Retail manager for Club X Adult Centres Peter Raynard said his store on the corner of Foster Street and Cheltenham Road in Dandenong had actually revitalised what used to be a hang-out for drug addicts and squatters.
“Dandenong is our flagship store,” he said.
“Prior to its opening in 2002 there used to be a lot of security issues, I understand.
“But since we’ve opened up, crime has disappeared from this spot.”
Mr Raynard said adult sex shops had come a long way from their alleyway image of the 1970s.
Gone are the trenchcoats and sleazy types, he said, and in their place was a new age of clientele – people you would pass in the street – who were shopping at adult sex shops for other purposes.
“We have people with physical health issues who come here for aids, we have some mothers bringing in their sons who have disabilities to buy magazines and DVDs,” he said.
“Men with prostate issues often look at penis enhancement devices as recommended by their doctor.”
Mr Raynard said objectors to adult sex shops were quick with ‘throwaway lines’ to discount the stores’ value to the community.
“I would say to the objectors, when was the last time you came in to a store to see and understand what actually goes on here?” he said.
Sexyland is further down Cheltenham Road.
Sales and promotions manager Rebecca Grech said the store was incredibly popular with hens’ nights, and for Kris Kringle gifts at Christmas time.
She said her staff were knowledgable and professional, and allowed people to comfortably speak about sexual issues.
“I believe all couples – male and female – want to explore their sexuality but feel there is a stigma saying they can’t,” Ms Grech said.
“And it is a relief to those people when they walk into a Sexyland store, because they can ask personal questions and receive advice.”
Make no mistake, these adult stores still stock a massive range of vibrators, penis enhancement tools, bondage props, sexy lingerie and explicit materials.
But there is an undeniable intrigue when one sees the mish-mashing of pop culture with a vibrator in the form of the OhMiBod – an iPod attachment that jiggles along to the rhythm of favourite tunes.
There is also the Sex Swing – a hoist of sorts that has a practical purpose, Ms Grech explained.
“A man whose wife is incapacitated bought one so she could continue enjoying pleasure with her husband,” she said.
“She has functional issues, so this (the swing) was perfect for her.”
Eros Association president Fiona Patten said residents should be more concerned of the kind of clientele a new pub would attract, as opposed to an adult store.
“The adult retail industry is far more regulated than any other retail industry,” she said.
“There are images that are quite okay to appear in car or fashion advertisements that are not allowed to be used for adult retailers.
“If there was not the demand for adult retail in Dandenong then the businesses would have to close their doors.
“I think a lot of the adult retail in Dandenong is showing a new style of store that is attractive to couples and women, the largest growing markets for our industry.”
