“Honestly, if you thought Tinder was scary, imagine having a live Tinder in your apartment!”– Kim Ibricevic, manager and buyer for Eve’s Garden.
Eve’s Garden is a hidden gem in Midtown New York that has been around since 1974. Discreetly disguised in an office building, the store’s core function is to provide women sexual freedom and expression. The founder of the store, Dell Williams, worked endlessly throughout her life to help women overcome the shame they were conditioned to feel about sex. A feminist at heart, Williams was a respected figure in the industry until her death in March of this year at the age of 92.
The store is designed in a living room setting to remain true to its initial purpose – making women feel comfortable. The walls are lined with colorful dildos and vibrators, various lubricants and catchy wall postings such as “The G-spot exists, have you found yours?”
Well ladies, if you haven’t, Eve’s Garden can almost guarantee one with the innovative designs they foster at their shop. In this ever-evolving industry, a rapidly expanding and world-shattering breakthrough taking over the sex industry by storm is the development of “sex-tech.” Sex-tech is technology that is created to enhance and innovate every tangible area of human sexuality by creating revolutionary designs for adult paraphernalia.
“With air technology, no joke, a woman can climax in less than 3 minutes!” – Kim Ibricevic
Innovations in sex-tech have been expanding robustly with the growing acceptance of sex. However, even today, society’s conflicted attitude toward sex is what drives entrepreneurs in this space to continue developing products and services.
“One of the main reasons she [Dell Williams] opened this store was to offer women a safe and comfortable environment. Even now, we are nearly in 2017 and it’s still looked down on as taboo in some ways. It’s much more open now though, it’s almost like you’re a freak and you’re weird if you don’t have a vibrator. Every woman deserves and needs a good vibrator.” – Kim Ibricevic
The negative stigma is unjustified. Sex is more than just an act, sex is personality. There is no single area of human existence that carries such a level of shame, humiliation, and self-torment. This dichotomy that exists of sex, makes it the most affluent possible zone for advances and breakthroughs using technology to progress and fortify our experience of sex.
According to IBISWorld, through 2020, the industry is expected to benefit from rising disposable income, which will increase spending on adult paraphernalia. Furthermore, growing social acceptance of sex is likely to further boost industry sales. Overall, industry revenue growth is expected to accelerate over the next five years by over 10%.
While Williams’ is no longer alive, her legacy lives on in the hidden gem of West 57th Street. Her diligent staff works hard to adapt to what people want but still stay true to their foundations. Under Ibricevics’ great use of tack and the ability to remain true to the niche approach, Eve’s Garden is poised to continue growing as a landmark in the sex industry.