As 2022 has become something of a Grand Reopening for store owners across the globe, retailers have understandably faced new anxieties. Kit Richardson, however, remains undaunted.
“If thin eyebrows, hipster jeans and New Kids on the Block can survive and make a comeback, so can retail stores,” Richardson proclaims.
It’s not only a museum, and it’s not only a sex store. It is a journey into pleasure, and I want to share that with everyone.
Richardson is the head of retail at the Museum of a Sex, a role that places many hats upon the head of this six-year staff member who began her journey as lead sales associate and assistant merchandiser at the Museum’s sex toy store.
There are big things on the horizon in 2023 for both Richardson and the Museum, affectionately nicknamed MOSEX. A new location is set to open in Miami, Florida. MOSEX-branded product lines, new collaborations and art galleries, and more mainstream exposure are also on Richardson’s list of goals for retail domination.
First, however, Richardson wants to set the record straight on the industry’s most popular pain point in the post-COVID era.
“Brick-and-mortars are not in danger of extinction,” Richardson reassures. “I do think that in order to survive, though, we have to make sure that we are keeping up with the times and our customers. That means listening to what customers really want and their feelings around sex and intimacy.”
When guests come to experience the many adults-only adventures at MOSEX — like Super Funland, an interactive art exhibit billed as an “erotic carnival” — they’re greeted with a gift shop curated by Richardson and staffed by her highly educated team.
“My staff and the overall product selection of the store are my greatest achievements,” Richardson gushes. “I have been able to build a team that, honestly, kicks ass. They are ambitious. They want to make sales. They want to succeed. They want to learn and grow, and they want the same for me and the Museum.
“Not to mention,” she continues, “since I’ve come into my leadership position, turnover has significantly decreased. That, coupled with our product selection, makes the store a foundation-shattering experience for anyone who enters.”
Just like the Museum itself, the MOSEX gift shop doesn’t carry just any old vibrator. Richardson’s influence has turned this unique New York retailer into a cornerstone of good ethics and consumer values within the pleasure industry. Richardson admits that during her early days, the MOSEX product selection was less than ideal.
“The selection included products in a range of materials, from a variety of companies, and not necessarily the best product,” she recalls. “As sex toys and the conversations around sex have evolved, so has our product selection. We no longer carry dildos with racist names. We no longer carry any products that are harmful to users. We no longer carry companies that align themselves on the wrong side of history and are anti-human rights. It took time, but it’s been done, and we are profitable.”
Despite the potentially triggering topic of sex, the Museum is popular with both tourists and locals.
“Our guests are predominantly tourists from all corners of the world,” says Richardson. “However, when New Yorkers visit, we notice a certain pride that comes with being a New Yorker.”
New York-based brands receive special attention from local shoppers, who flock to unique products that Richardson describes as also marketing eye-catching brand stories.
Richardson points to product lines like Nosebest Candles, a brand that pairs sexy, fun candle designs with custom playlists and cocktails; Cam Cox, a Brooklyn artist who creates feminist erotic art; and, perhaps the most well-known, Dame’s feminist and gender-neutral pleasure products.
“We, as New Yorkers, know it’s hard to live here, to succeed here, and when we can, we will support the hell out of one another,” avows Richardson. “COVID, lockdowns and the loss of so many people brought us together again. There is a pride in supporting people who’ve been through the same things you’ve been through, and I see that in the shopping trends here.”
In addition to keeping shelves stocked with the industry’s very best collections, Richardson is responsible for the window displays that showcase up-and-coming companies and veteran brands alike. Richardson’s storefront decorations have boosted brands like High on Love, a hemp oil body products and edibles company; Womanizer’s Premium Eco earth-friendly sex toy campaign; and Kush Kards, a novelty brand that combines cannabis humor cards with smoking accessories.
Richardson relishes the opportunity to promote the clients, colleagues and friends that have enabled her to thrive in her dream job.
“This industry has done nothing but take me in, guide me and support me — while sometimes supplying me with copious amounts of champagne! Though you’ll never hear me complain,” she recounts, heartfelt. “There is a support system within the industry I’ve not found in other jobs I’ve had. There’s something wonderful about the fact that I can easily reach out to anyone in the industry for help and people provide it.”
As the year comes to a close, Richardson proudly proclaims “global domination” as her MOSEX goal for 2023, starting with the grand opening of the Museum’s new Miami location.
“It has certainly been a journey,” she says. “As expected, it is no easy feat to recreate the Museum of Sex, especially one that is four times bigger than our NYC location.”
If you’ve never paid a visit to Kit Richardson on her home turf, dropping by the Museum of Sex is a must for anyone in the sexual wellness space, especially now that air travel has recommenced.
“As always, I invite anyone in the industry to visit the Museum,” Richardson exhorts her colleagues. “The more I can get people in the doors, the more they can experience just exactly what the Museum is.”
“It’s not only a museum, and it’s not only a sex store,” she concludes. “It is a journey into pleasure, and I want to share that with everyone, in this industry and beyond.
