According to the Windsor Star, the Cambodian-born fetish star Maxine X and her husband Scott Rhodes opened “Maxine’s Adult Playground ” last September, a shop that sells sex toys and hardcore porn. In the past four months, the shop has seen a steady stream of customers primarily from word of mouth.
Rhodes said his wife is “Canada’s top fetish star” with expertise in bondage, domination and S&M, "I don't go around telling people I'm a porn star. I have a whole life. I live like a normal person," Maxine X said.
The Toronto couple said the idea for the boutique started about two years ago after a visit to Windsor. Tired of being in Toronto and coupled with Windsor’s low cost of living, affordable real estate, mildest climate in Canada outside of Victoria and the geographic advantage of proximity to the U.S., the duo made the move.
"Windsor's looking for new investment. We're investors. Windsor's looking for new people to move here, reside here, pay property taxes and everything else. That's us," Rhodes said.
Although Rhodes describes their business as a “a little different,” it’s not unique to the area. South Windsor is the home of other sex product chain stores including Stag Shop, Aren't We Naughty and Xcitement DVD.
But after researching the market, Rhodes felt his store offered a more cozy boutique atmosphere with clear windows and easily accessible to foot traffic.
Rhodes said, "We want to be part of a vibrant and exciting downtown. It's very classy. Nobody under 18 is allowed in the store. In the windows, anywhere that's visible — we keep it PG.”
Despite some initial trepidation from the area’s business improvement association, once Rhodes laid out the business plan explaining the boutique angle, the store was given the green light.
Rhodes said, "It's just sex, relax. That's what we say. As long as it's consenting adults, and nobody is hurt, and everybody goes home happy."
The couple began making porn in 2003 that won an award for Best Femdom Fetish Video and a subsequent production company — Maxine X Productions — that has about 100 titles, two websites and a line of pleasure wands.
Rhodes said that he hopes to eventually open an online store and possibly expand the brick and mortar store to other cities.
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