Denver- from www.westword.com – Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be what it is without sex toys, and Denver won’t be the same without its “sex-positive” erotic toy shop. Nevertheless, the owners of Hysteria, at 114 South Broadway, have been screwed from behind by an uncaring economy. Their store, a two-time Westword Best of Denver award winner, will close on February 14.
The boutique, owned by Elizabeth Hauptman and Pete Yribia, had been in business for five years, selling non-toxic sex toys and women-friendly porn. “We were very particular about what kind we would carry,” Hauptman says. “We watched everything first so we could tell people what it was. It was porn that doesn’t degrade women.”
Store employees also educated consumers about safe toys and catered to a variety of communities, many of which may have felt marginalized by other erotic outlets. “We went about sex in a different way,” Hauptman adds.
“Most women wouldn’t go to another store by themselves, but they didn’t need to come here with a pack of people to feel safe.”
And they definitely felt safe in this sex shop. “The biggest compliment for us is when people ask if they can use our bathroom,” Hauptman says, then laughs. “I knew we must be doing something right.”
But things went wrong with the bad economy, and large banks quit lending money to small businesses. And since Hysteria sells sex, the owners couldn’t get other institutions, like the Small Business Administration or microlenders, to sign off on a loan. “We would have been able to sell the store in a heartbeat, but no one could get the financing to buy it,” Hauptman explains. “It’s unfortunate that this idea can’t survive when other adult stores don’t have a problem making tons of money. We were trying to shift perspectives and help the community. Maybe they just weren’t ready for it. Maybe it was just bad timing.”
To send the store out in style, Hysteria will have a party starting at 7 p.m. on February 13, complete with music, dancing, food, wine and a big sale. After that, you’re on your own.