Pleasure Chest 1972
Before the Pleasure Chest was a sex-toy stop on the Sex & the City tour of Greenwich Village, right between Magnolia Bakery and the Perry Street stoop, it was a hardcore sex shop. At least it appears to be in the 1972 documentary "Pornography in New York."
1972, Pornography in New York
Opened in 1972, the Pleasure Chest was located at 183 West 10th Street, its incredibly slender space wedged between two buildings, where a boutique called Laura Lobdell jewelry is today. The little corner has cleaned up since the 70s and so has the Pleasure Chest.
today, Google maps
In the documentary, we're greeted by a sign warning customers that the novelties in this shop have not been approved by Good Housekeeping, the Department of Agriculture, nor the Board of Health.
Pornography in New York
Next we view a wooden shingle-covered wall hung with black leather wrist and ankle restraints, nipple clamps, and weights dangling from heavy chains. The Pleasure Chest still sells restraints, but these days they're more likely to be "Rhinestone Glamour Cuffs."
Pornography in New York
On the next wall, we see some dildos that are decidedly not cute or cuddly, along with a box full of cock rings, some made of leather lined with internal spikes. No pink feather boas here. No pink bunny-rabbit vibrators, either.
Maybe there were pink-bunny vibrators at the original Pleasure Chest. I don't know. They're not shown in the documentary. Still, somehow, I doubt it.
Looking at these images compared to today, we see that sex toys in 1972 New York were gritty, rugged objects to be slipped into the slippery basements of the old Meat Market, not flaunted atop glittery glass towers in the new MePa.
One last detail: The Pleasure Chest also sold water beds.
Read More:
Sex Toys & The City
Adult Bookstores
With thanks again to Mick Dementiuk
1972, Pornography in New York
Opened in 1972, the Pleasure Chest was located at 183 West 10th Street, its incredibly slender space wedged between two buildings, where a boutique called Laura Lobdell jewelry is today. The little corner has cleaned up since the 70s and so has the Pleasure Chest.
today, Google maps
In the documentary, we're greeted by a sign warning customers that the novelties in this shop have not been approved by Good Housekeeping, the Department of Agriculture, nor the Board of Health.
Pornography in New York
Next we view a wooden shingle-covered wall hung with black leather wrist and ankle restraints, nipple clamps, and weights dangling from heavy chains. The Pleasure Chest still sells restraints, but these days they're more likely to be "Rhinestone Glamour Cuffs."
Pornography in New York
On the next wall, we see some dildos that are decidedly not cute or cuddly, along with a box full of cock rings, some made of leather lined with internal spikes. No pink feather boas here. No pink bunny-rabbit vibrators, either.
Maybe there were pink-bunny vibrators at the original Pleasure Chest. I don't know. They're not shown in the documentary. Still, somehow, I doubt it.
Looking at these images compared to today, we see that sex toys in 1972 New York were gritty, rugged objects to be slipped into the slippery basements of the old Meat Market, not flaunted atop glittery glass towers in the new MePa.
One last detail: The Pleasure Chest also sold water beds.
Read More:
Sex Toys & The City
Adult Bookstores
With thanks again to Mick Dementiuk
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