Manchester VIP experience
(Click to enlarge photo) Shown above is the Manchester VIP in Sept. 06 before the signage was put up.
A VIP general manager named Rick Lederman, quoted on AVN, an adult entreprenuer news website, had this to say about the Manchester store: “We sell everything that has to do with adult… We carry about 20,000-plus titles of DVDs. We carry probably every major toy company, every toy out there. Smoking accessories, full lingerie department, shoes, novelties, gags, lotions, oils — the full gamut. Pretty much everything out there. … It’s gonna be very eye catching, very eye appealing. We’ve got marble floors that we flew in from Italy. That type of concept.…If it was up to me, I’d like to have one of these in every state.”
Attorney Daniel Silver states in his lawsuit against the town of Berlin that “VIP should be considered a ‘romance shop’ rather than a sex shop, because it caters mostly to women and couples ‘who wish to enhance their love lives,’ and not to single men.”
So I decided to see for myself if this “upscale, tastefully designed store” (according to Silver) really is as “romantic” as Dan Silver claims.
1. In November, shortly after their grand opening, I went to the Manchester VIP with a friend and two 19 year old college students, who were not asked for ID upon entering.
2. To the left is a very large area that is lingerie, costumes and shoes-the kind with 10″ heels, etc. and boots. The space devoted to this is in fact much more than in the Hartford store.
3. To the right (there is a long, runway style floor going down the length of the center of the store…) are gag items, bachlorette party items, t-shirts, candy, greeting cards, posters, etc. and a magazine isle. Some of the magazine titles inc. “Terrible Teen,” “Young & Tight,” “Barely Legal,” “New C_nts,” “Spanker’s Guide,” “Love Bondage” and a variety of “niche” fetish magazine like plus size women, couples, older, etc.
4. Off of this area is an entire room devoted to drug paraphernalia, bongs of all sizes (I mean some where 2 feet tall!) and steel bladed knives and daggars. This room is set up like an art gallery. It is 2 levels high (like the upper displays are their priceless museum pieces.) This room is approx. 16′ x 30′
5. On this same side of the store next is an area displaying leather goods, leather outfits, harnesses and bondage items.
6. Going farther back, on the left side of the store, is the “Toy/Novelty/Sexual Aide” section. There is isle after isle of vibrators, dildos, blow up dolls, the “Hustler Virtual Girl Doll,” rubber female parts, specialty equipment (? don’t know how else to put it!)
7. To the opposite side of the store is the DVD/Video section. This section is easily the size of Berlin’s Blockbuster Video, if not larger. Here are a few of the “Romantic” movie titles: (These are titles that didn’t have actual swear words in them)
WARNING: SOME OF THESE TITLES ARE NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!
“Torture of Pixie,” “Gag Factor.” ” Teens for Cash,” “MILF’s Gone Anal,” (MILF is an acronym for Mother’s I’d Like to F___) “Labor of Love” this was a series of pregnant porn, “Backend Bi-Boys,” “Gang Bang that P_ssy” – volumes 1-8!!! “Over 40 and Still Gang-banging,” -gang bang is in scores of other titles as well, “Screw my Wife, Please!,” “Interracial Throat Bangers,” “Pain Threshhold,” “Guys Who Suck Their Own C_cks” -I could not make this stuff up!, “Facial Frenzy,” “The Violation of Aurora Snow: A Lesbian Gang Bang,” “Don’t Tell Mommy,” “Little Girl Next Door,”-I think this is the scariest as my 4 year old may wind up being the little girl next door to them!
8. While there, one of our group needed to use the restroom, but they don’t have public restrooms (a good thing, actually) so she and another decided to run to McDonald’s. They called from a cell phone from the parking lot, where they encountered a couple, in a “passionate exchange” on the ground between our car and theirs! I ran out to see, (and try to get a picture) but by the time I got out there, they were gone. It didn’t occur to me at the time to report this to the police. This was 3pm on a Sunday. So much for their parking lot security!
Lest anyone think we are making a big deal out of nothing… This is no “Romance” Shop, this is a porn shop. And it is open M-Th 9:00am – 12 midnight; Fri. & Sat. 9:00am until 2:00am!!! and Sun 11:00am – 10pm
I don’t know about you, but if my husband brought home any of the movie titles above, it would NOT enhance our “romance.”
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For those of you looking for info about VIP from a different perspective (and based on my web search stats, many of you are –although I think other than my movie reviews, my run down is fairly neutral on store content) here is a review of the Hartford VIP from another blogger.
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on February 26, 2007 on 4:07 pm
I adored VIP…and if my husband brought me home anything from the store, I’d squeal with delight. In fact, we had a very nice time at the store near 91 in CT on our way through last weekend. To be fair though, the Penthouse Store was much prettier.
on March 20, 2007 on 3:43 pm
While there are some items listed in your post that are perfectly fine to live next to (dills and vibes being two examples), I totally agree with your stance. This is a porn store and should not be allowed to open in a residential zone. I hope good things for you and yours, and that your daughter is not made prone to the type of people who would rent “Little Girl Next Door.” *sigh* Only pornographers would defend their right to invite paedophiles into a nice neighbourhood with kids.
on March 20, 2007 on 3:54 pm
Also, if I could make one other notion clear: Who thinks daggers and other weaponry is sexually oriented? I think that alone should be evidence that they don’t cater to women at all. I mean, besides the scads of porno.
on March 21, 2007 on 9:59 pm
What the heck? What women with any self respect would find these stores a pleasure to go too? Yeah honry i really wnat to watch teens getting banged! Thats sick. Its just wrong. Oh and that title. The little girl next door. Thats just sick!
on April 15, 2007 on 11:28 am
While I can understand how someone may be offended by some of the items provided at VIP, I also think you need to realize everyone explores their sexuality in a different way. -”What the heck? What women with any self respect would find these stores a pleasure to go too?” – I have plenty of self respect and find myself comfortable enough in my sexuality and in exploring my sexuality to go to a store like this. Just because a couple may “get off” with eachother by watching a porn, tying eachother down, etc.. does not make them dirty or bad people (its like saying masterbating is wrong.. hardly, its normal!). I also have to note that unlike many other porn shops that display neon signs noting XXX and PORN, VIP is tasteful in the exterior design of their shop and should not be found offensive or bad exposure for children (Victoria’s secret displays more sexuality than VIP does!!) And to comment on the note of pedaphiles.. no videos can be sold that have people under 18, therefore I hardly think this would be ‘inviting pedaphiles to your town’.. if they are a pedaphile, they are a pedaphile, a video is not going to turn someone into one. Openness is the key to acceptance.
on April 15, 2007 on 11:58 am
Hi Wildlyshy,
Thanks for your comment, and I agree with some of it. Not wanting a store that sells porn (and VIP does sell pornography, in addition to the novelties, gag items, lingerie and vibrators–which are NOT necessarily of concern to me, personally.) to be located next to your residential home does not mean one is sexually repressed in any way. I did not make the comment about self-respecting women, etc.
Towns have a right to regulate the location of sexually oriented businesses, and tax paying home owners have the right to expect them to, to protect not only public safety, but property values.
I would not be happy about any business being open until 2am next door to my home, and especially not one selling a porn video called “Don’t tell Mommy,” etc. as well as bongs and knives.
Would you?
This fight is not about banning porn (although many commenters may like that to happen.) This is about regulating the location of these stores as not to effect residential neighborhoods. I don’t think that is unreasonable.
on October 24, 2007 on 12:22 pm
I’m sorry but where VIP is located, I do not consider residential in any way. It is on a road filled with shops and malls. Its probably one of the most appropriate places for a shop of its kind. And as for it being a so-called “porn shop,” I disagree. I feel as though the person who wrote this article was biased in their own opinions on sexuality. My boyfriend and I have been together for a very long time, and after a while things need to be introduced into the bedroom to keep the spark there. VIP is a store that I feel comfortable going into with him and picking out new things to do behind closed doors. Some may argue, such as Dawn and Ivy have said that some things are disgusting and no self-respecting woman would engage in these activities. I’m sorry but I do not agree. I respect myself more for embracing life and exploring my sexuality. Can women like you say the same? I bet your husbands/boyfriends are watching porno movies like that because you refuse to fulfill their fantasies, you just don’t know about it. Out of all of these romance shops I have been to, VIP is one of the most tasteful. Everything is organized by fetish. If something doesn’t float your boat, you don’t have to look at it. And back to the article, they state that there was a couple in a romantic exchange in the parking lot. As far as I’m concerned that is just hearsay. Perhaps something the reporter made up to spice up their story, it cannot be proved and there is no evidence to support it, it should not have been included in the story. And please define romantic exchnage, were they making out, as far as I’m concerned that is just PDA, were they having sex, because as far as I know every car on that road would have been able to see them? I’ve heard stories of people having sex in the parking lot of fast food restaurants before, does that mean we shoudln’t build those either? Are they too promoting the “wrong kind” from visiting the neighborhood? Get a clue. This country was founded on freedom. We have the freedom to choose and we should embrace it. I choose to continue shopping at VIP and I don’t care what any of you uptight women have to say about it. You can choose to keep your opinions to yourself and not go to VIP.
on November 19, 2007 on 12:33 pm
Today there is so much revolving around this ‘world of sex’. Although, I strongly believe that VIP did an excellent job at creating a tastefull and well designed store. I was very impressed with the variety, there are things for people who are less experienced and not quite as open with their sexuality, and there are some more adventurous items for those who are. AND they also have the store set up in very specific sections, so if something does offend a certain individual, it’s easy for them to avoid that section altogether! I live within the Vernon area and I’m very happy to have such a well put together and elaborate store to share with my husband. I love when he brings something new to our sex life, be it an idea, toy, movie, accessory, etc. I know quite a few people in this area who would be extreamly upset to see it go.
I do not find any sense, though, in changing it to a ‘romantic’ shop. We’re all well aware of what is in that store from their basic romance novelties to their more extravagent novelties. It is what it is and changing the genre of it is pointless and possibley misleading to someone who’s unaware (and would probably like to stay unaware) of the array of items at VIP.
Bottom line, it’s a wonderful store for interested couples. And there’s obviously thousands out there (how else would it stay open). Sex sells, and VIP has done an awesome job at expressing that tastefully.
I found something interesting in Ivy’s comment (I believe it’s second), wouldn’t you rather have the paedophiles that very well may exsist within this neighborhood (just like any other neighborhood) have a healthy way to take care of their sickness rather than NOT have a VIP and them go looking somewhere else to satisfy their desires? I have a young child and I’d rather have a big yellow store by the highway than have sexual predators more likely to be out looking for another outlet. Wouldn’t you, or anyone else, agree?
The store is already there. Everyone should stop being foolish and realize that the store is appreciated by many. If not by you? Then look the other way.