While recently working at a New York location, I was told by a traveling customer that Babeland is featured in French guidebooks.

New York boasts three locations so I thought it important to ask

"Which store?"

"All three," they told me.

This started me thinking about New York's Babeland stores and the fact that, though Rivington, Mercer and Brooklyn are united by their selection of products and Babeland's mission of sexual vitality, they are distinguished by differences in physicality and surrounding neighborhoods. So uniquely charming is each store that I can easily visualize a cross NYC tour based on Babeland (ala the Sex and the City tour.) Since this tour does not yet exist, light a massage candle, close your eyes and imagine it. You're in a pink, orange and blue Babeland branded bus. Choose a seat. They all vibrate.

First stop is 94 Rivington Street situated between Ludlow and Orchard on the Lower East Side. Second only to Babeland's flagship Seattle location, Rivington was opened by Claire and Rachel in 1998 amid a busy cluster of tailor shops, and, more recently, a crop of excellent restaurants and bars. Open longest of all three stores, Rivington has the late hours for a last minute Sunday condom and candy run (Economy Candy and Sugar Sweet Sunshine are down the street) as well as the environment for an enriching mid-week visit (radical book store Bluestockings is on Allen street.) Rivington also features free mini workshops during Cheap Date nights and Sexy Brunches that are replete with food and drinks. Since the days we were called "Toys in Babeland" and displayed whips and floggers in a bondage forest, Rivington is the store where many New Yorkers (and Babeland employees) first lost their heart and Babeland virginity. Case in point; REM chose to film their video for "Supernatural Superserious" here in 2002.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_We6ubpUHZs

Next stop is 43 Mercer Street between Broome and Grand. Opened in 2003 when we became "Babeland," a trip to Mercer begins with a walk down its long entrance. This hallway is flanked by an orange wall with Babeland mantras such as, ?explore,? "tantalize" and ?provoke,? that lend this first walk an exciting, transformative feeling. Like a thrill ride, it seems to say, ?you are entering the world of Babeland"- and what a world it is. Mercer is Babeland's largest location and, a tribute to Soho, a cast-iron palace with cobblestone outside. Like its neighboring galleries, you are encouraged to pause and look the works of art on display. As is true of every Babeland location, these works are totally touchable. Paid workshops and large scale events (such as our annual Pride Flirt party) happen here.

See Mercer's palatial lines as featured in Anya Marina's music video for,"Whatever you Like."

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6INLzQaWask

Our end point is Babeland Brooklyn at 462 Bergen Street. The store is a tree lined walk from Atlantic terminal. As you approach Bergen you pass through a colorful stretch of store fronts. Babeland?s blue face and little pink hanging sign coordinate with that of [caption id="attachment_3983" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Babeland Brooklyn"][/caption]its surrounding businesses and such is its place; your friendly neighborhood sex shop. Opened in 2008, Bergen celebrated its second birthday in June. Celebrations in the form of parties and mini workshops happen with frequency at Brooklyn, and often with free muffins and coffee from neighbor Blue Sky Bakery. So new it twinkles, Bergen also has stroller-friendly aisles and a changing table in the bathroom

Marked by their location, united by their mission, visited individually or collectively, each Babeland is part of the world community for sex positivity. When next in New York, take the real Babeland tour!

Street. The store is a tree lined walk from Atlantic terminal. As you approach Bergen you pass through a colorful stretch of store fronts. Babeland?s blue face and little pink hanging sign coordinate with that of [caption id="attachment_3983" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Babeland Brooklyn"][/caption]its surrounding businesses and such is its place; your friendly neighborhood sex shop. Opened in 2008, Bergen celebrated its second birthday in June. Celebrations in the form of parties and mini workshops happen with frequency at Brooklyn, and often with free muffins and coffee from neighbor Blue Sky Bakery. So new it twinkles, Bergen also has stroller-friendly aisles and a changing table in the bathroom

Marked by their location, united by their mission, visited individually or collectively, each Babeland is part of the world community for sex positivity. When next in New York, take the real Babeland tour!