LIMERICK, Ireland — The storeowner of one of Ireland’s oldest sex toy and novelty stores, the Angels Adult Boutique Sex Shop in Limerick, said that Irish society’s views of sex have changed substantially since starting up his business in the 1990s.
Michael Bridgeman discussed his views about what consumers like to purchase in an interview with the People of Ireland project, which was launched to tell the stories of the people of Ireland. Currently, People of Ireland has about three dozen YouTube interviews of Irish people from around the world.
Angels Adult Boutique Sex Shop is one of two pleasure products stores in Limerick, which has a population of 95,000.
Over 25 years, Bridgeman has seen a lot of changes in the adult store business, People of Ireland reported. It’s to a point where it’s a normal thing for couples to come into his shop and not be afraid to tell him what they want and why they want it.
“It [used to be] the man in the gray coat coming in with the hood up, trying to disguise himself going in and out,” Bridgeman said. “Now, 20 years later, it’s the women that are coming in now. It’s the women who are in control, telling the husband what she wants. They are more open about it.
“We have got couples coming in, you’ve got the females coming in, young, old. I mean, I get them in their 80s,” he said. “I get them in and I am turning them away from the door because I have reason to believe that they are not even 18. They don’t care anymore. There is no fear anymore [about walking into an adult store].”
Bridgeman’s top seller is the vibrator, and he said that the new technology with the toy “is just amazing, it has really progressed.”
Check out the People of Ireland interview at Bridgeman's Limerick store here.
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