Oh the wonderful world of sex toys! I have been in this crazy business formally since 1993 but as a consumer since 1987, when I met the Smut Hound – someone that opened my world to all things sex.
Having been in a relatively boring, non-child-producing marriage for 7 1/2 years, I was ready for some action. I met the Smut Hound after dating a Swede for a year who was my first introduction to the “Hey! Sex toys are fun!” world by buying me my first vibrator.
I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it and then, as so many women do on a frisky night, I dropped the 2 C batteries in the aqua plastic cylinder (there certainly weren’t as many options for toys back in 1986), twisted the base on the hard shaft, spun the variable speed control, and the rest is history!!! No turning back after that!

How I Got in the Business of Sex Toys

So the Smut Hound and I got together after the Swede moved away and it took me no time to embrace ALL THINGS SEX. He opened the doors for porno, sex toys, public sex, crazy fucking, pornstars, Polaroids and everything else. I found my home.
Until I went to buy my sex toys at the porno store in the world famous Combat Zone of Boston. I’d go in and thoroughly entertain myself by checking out the variety of all the stuff on the walls – the packages, the names of the products (especially the porno videos!), what they looked like, what they did. I would often accompany a nervous girlfriend when she wanted to buy a vibrator and I would describe the products to her as they were hanging in the boxes on the walls. She would loudly whisper “Let’s just get one and LEAVE!” I’d bark back “Wait! You’re getting something for yourself!” and often she would just point to one and that was that. I proudly walked up to the raised counter where the cigar smoking clerk was perched and he’d always ask “Ya gonna use this together?” I’d always reply with a flat “Noooo” as I raised my middle finger in silent protest. Just let me pay for my goddamn toy.
I decided I had enough of that and had the light bulb moment hit me while attending a G Spot workshop in New York City with the goddess known as Deborah Sundahl, a G Spot teacher since the early 90’s and founder of the fantastic (and missed) hot REAL lesbian publication On Our Backs. She mentioned the only place that would host her for a G Spot chat was the gay men’s bookstore in Boston; not the two feminist bookstores – god forbid a woman talk about SEX in a feminist bookstore! I clearly said “We could use a women’s sex toy store in Boston! I could do that. I COULD DO THAT!” History starts again.
I opened Grand Opening! a year later in 1993 after leaving my high ranking administrative position at Harvard University (where many of those sex toy buying girlfriends worked). I loved owning Grand Opening! for over 12 years and decided my true passion was with teaching and learning and promoting all good things about sex – especially sex toys which is why I’m here.
So, join me on this endless journey all about sex toys… reviewing them, trying them out, sharing insights and hysterical information about this great sextoy industry, learning about things you can do with them and the related products like lubes, oils and plenty of other things. You’ll learn lots of tidbits, be entertained, learn a joke or two, and best of all, become the sex toy person you’ll ever want to be. C’mon, let’s go!
(This blog originally appeared on my blog in XBIZ.com)