LOS ANGELES -- The top adult retailers and distributors in the country celebrated award triumphs on Friday night at the 2013 XBIZ Awards, taking home honors for their exemplary work on the front lines of adult entertainment.
Peekay, Inc. walked away with the award for Retailer of the Year Chain at the sold-out ceremony at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, Calif. The Auburn, Wash.-based chain operates more than 30 storefronts in the Puget Sound area under the name Lover’s Package, several stores in the Los Angeles area under the nom de plume, Touch of Romance, and a “signature store” occupying a boggling 15,000 square feet of retail space in one of America’s largest shopping centers in Tukwila, Washington.
Peekay also operates a wholesale division serves more than a thousand accounts across North America, two separate internet divisions -- one that serves their stores directly and one to provide quick service to their wholesale clients, as well as a manufacturing division for new products.
Peekay was founded 25 years ago by an upstart entrepreneur, Phyllis Heppenstall, who wanted to make an adult retailer where customers could feel safe to “shop their own sensuality” in quality locations. Peekay has won many plaudits and awards for its retail stores to which they can now add the 2013 Xbiz Retailer of the Year (Chain).
Good Vibrations name was called for Retailer of the Year - Boutique. Good Vibrations has been a fixture of the San Francisco and the Bay Area since 1977. Good Vibrations' mission has always been one much larger than just retail. They strive to provide high-quality, sex-positive products to shoppers whether via wholesale, retail, or the web while empowering shoppers with knowledge handed down from a sales staff of savvy sex educators.
Backstage an enthusiastic Coyote Days from Good Vibrations declared, “We’re so excited. It's wonderful. We’ve been around for 36 years and we love this industry and we are the original clean, well-lit place to shop and its so wonderful to be recognized.”
Good Vibrations has recently begun to make an effort to step out of the boutique by expanding retail operations to Brookline, Mass., (a Boston Suburb), growing its wholesale business, and starting its own film production branch. “2013 is about retail expansion,” Days said backstage, ”and continuing to do what we do best which is customer service and quality products... Our 36th anniversary is in March and we’re super excited. It's been a long journey. We’re really happy we are still around.”
Adam & Eve has been for years synonymous with online adult entertainment and has been one of the adult brands that has transcended the adult industry to become an insouciant mainstream icon on par with Amazon.com. For its ongoing outstanding efforts, Adam & Eve took home the XBIZ Award for Online Retailer of the Year - Full Range.
EdenFantasys.com won the XBIZ Award for Online Retailer of the Year for Pleasure Products. EdenFantasys has built more than just a website, it has built a sex-positive community where its diverse customer base can shop for anything from lingerie and vibrators to books and lubricants. EdenFantasys customers can browse video reviews and shop with more experienced EdenFantasys patrons. EdenFantasys is more than just a store, it's a social media experience that keeps its customers coming back month after month.
For specialty products, the XBIZ Award for Online Retailer of the Year (Specialty) was awarded to Stockroom.com. The diverse site features a complete set of bondage and BDSM gear, much of which is made right here in Los Angeles by artisan craftsmen skilled in the arts of leather and latex.
International Video Distributors/East Coast News won for Distributor/Wholesaler of the Year. IVD has been in operation for more than 20 years and carries a huge selection of videos and toys. It has three locations in the United States -- Florida, New Jersey, and here in Southern California.
“This XBIZ Award feels pretty awesome!” Ken H., brand manager for IVD/East Coast News said while gripping the trophy backstage. “This is a first for me representing this company. It's been an awesome year and we plan on continuing on with our stellar performance as a distributor," Ken H. continued. "We continue to support all our customer. We continue to support all our vendor partners. We look forward to expanding that in 2013.”
Ken H. continued, "We’re the best! Our world revolves around you. That’s our slogan and we really mean it. Our customers, our partners, everyone we work with, we thank them for our success.”
Entrenue garnered the XBIZ Award for Distributor/Wholesaler of the Year for Pleasure Products. The Arizona-based company features a full and extensive line of products along with support for its retail clientele.
Paradise Marketing added to its plaudits by winning Distributor/Wholesaler of the Year - Specialty for its efforts in wholesale condom and personal lubricant sales. Featuring brands such as Trojan, Durex and Lifestyle, Paradise Marketing continues to lead the way in providing its customers with great wholesale prices and marketing strategies that can help grow their businesses.
Pink Cherry Wholesale, one of the fastest growing adult wholesalers today, picked up the XBIZ Award for Distributor/Wholesaler International. Proudly and unabashedly Canadian, Pink Cherry Wholesalers offers a wide range of toys, costumes, and lingeries packed into a 20,000 square foot warehouse.
Photo of Bonnie Rotten and Adam & Eve GM Bob Christian by Rick Garcia.
