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G ood
V ibrations
It's My Pleasure celebrates
1 Oth anniversary by N atalie Shapiro
en years ago, dildos, vibrators and
other sex toys were a hidden plea
sure for most women. Thanks to It’s
My Pleasure owner Holly Mulcahey,
that’s a thing of the past. The little
house with a white picket fence on Northeast
Sandy Boulevard is, in her own words, “a haven
for women and those who love them ...a safe
place to shop for items of intimacy and romance.”
Inside are items that indulge all the senses:
books, magazines, music, cards, jewelry, massage
oils, incense, sex toys and S/M gear. In keeping
with Mulcahey’s activist roots, It’s My Pleasure
also has a community resource area with litera
ture on events as well as free publications.
The sex toy room contains video» and enticing
bxxiks and magazines on S/M and all aspects of
female sexuality. Whips, restraints, vibrators, dil
dos, harnesses and nipple clamps line the shelves.
Although the selection is small compared to other
womens sex toy stores, the room still contains a
nice variety of pnxlucts, most of high quality.
In discussing the dildos, Mulcahey displayed
her knowledge of the products. “These are made
Holly Mulcahey and her store manager relax on the front porch at It’s My Pleasure
from silicon,” she said of several dildos that were
soft and supple to the touch. “They aren’t
porous, and you can boil them.”
homey, comfortable atmosphere. “There aren’t a
Mulcahey points out that there is no actual sex
This is important to ensure they are clean
lot of old houses on the market that are zoned or undressing in the workshops. “For example, with
after use. The cheaper dildos, a few of which she commercially,” she said. Sandy Boulevard has
the anal sex workshop, a video is shown and books
are passed around. When we talk about toys and
carries, are made from latex or an unspecified mixed zoning, so that is where It’s My Pleasure
rubber product. “They are porous, so they hold found its final destination.
how to use them, we try them on over clothes.”
in germs. You can’t boil them.”
Although gross sales are lower, the costs are Tne point, she said, is to make women feel safe and
It’s My Pleasure began 10 years ago in a small less. “The advantages are that parking is easier, comfortable learning about these issues.
building with cheap rent on Southeast Haw it’s more private, and it’s a prettier space.” It’s also
A nother service Mulcahey is proud of is the
thorne Boulevard. Mulcahey’s vision was to pro an investment, as she owns the property and
lesbian and bisexual women dating service,
vide a safe, comfortable place for women to buy gains income from renting out some of her space.
which is free. “Women write about themselves,
vibrators and sex toys.
Continuing with her business sharing ven and that information goes into a binder that we
It’s My Pleasure became the first such store tures she started in the Hawthorne store, she
keep behind the counter.”
for women in Portland. In contrast to men’s sex rents the upstairs space to two massage thera
Women looking for a date can flip through
toy stores, “I wanted a tasteful adult bookstore— pists and a woman who does energy work
the binder and write to the woman of their
tasteful erotic videos and books from a feminist (Reiki). Next door, also owned by Mulcahey, is choice. It’s My Pleasure mails the letters; the
perspective.”
the Fantasy Creature Store.
addresses are confidential.
Three years later, with experience behind her
Another aspect of It’s My Pleasure is the work
The store is also a reflection of the changes
and a better perspective on what women wanted shops. These delve into issues such as S/M, G spot
in lesbian culture and politics through the years.
to buy, Mulcahey moved to another location on and female ejaculation, sex toys and anal sex. W hat Mulcahey sells has changed because what
Hawthorne, twice the size
Mulcahey presents the
women want to buy has changed.
of the original It’s My Plea
workshops both at her
“I used to sell a lot of political buttons," she
sure. The new store was so
store and at college cam said. “I don’t sell these anymore because people
spacious, she partitioned it
puses. “I go to a lot of col don’t wear them anymore.”
with areas for a therapist,
lege campuses teaching
The same holds true for bumper stickers.
chiropractors and massage
Sex Toy 101.”
Instead of political messages, women now prefer
therapists. “So, 1 also was
One of her favorite
rainbow stripes.
providing fertile ground for
workshops was Vagina
“I think the gay community won a lot of
other women to start their
Night during a naturo rights that it wanted,” Mulcahey said. "Fifteen
practices.”
pathic medicine for wom years ago, lesbians didn’t own their own home or
In late 1997, it was
en class at Portland State
a nice vehicle. Then, the banks and mortgage
time to move again. “The rent was increasing University. A group in the class called Mulcahey
companies stopped discriminating against single
faster than the business did.”
to be part of a presentation on the vagina.
women and women couples.”
Rent was now $3,000 a month; at her first
“It was so much fun for me,” she laughs.
Add to that less discrimination on the job, and
store it started at $315. “Rent is a hidden cost “One woman made vagina-shaped cookies.”
the result is a more affluent and mainstream com
that consumers may not understand,” she
What is the general response to her workshops
munity, she said. “Women get a better car, so they
explained. “W hen an area gets very vibrant, the at colleges? “One-third are squeamish with nervous want a nice rainbow stripe because it looks nicer.”
rent increases a lot.”
laughter, one-third have a ‘right on’ attitude, and
Mulcahey emphasizes that although the prima
Leaving the Hawthorne district was a diffi one-third are very interested,” she said, smiling.
ry clientele of It’s My Pleasure is women of all ages
cult decision for Mulcahey. “I loved the area,
The general attitude toward sex toys clearly has and orientations, men are welcome, too. jn
and I lived there."
changed during the past decade. “Ten years ago,
However, it fueled a change in her business phi- dildos and vibrators were more ‘in the closet.’ I’ve
I t ’ s M y P leasure is located at 3106 NE 64th St.
k>sophy. With intense competition from superstore done a lot about getting them out of the closet.”
For more information on workshops and events call
chains such as Barnes & Noble, “It was time to get
Mulcahey brings in outside “sexperts” for many 503-280-8080.
a handle on business. Instead of being a communi of her workshops. Lisa, fonnerly of the famous San
ty activist, I became a business owner. I matured."
Francisco sex toy store Gtxxl Vibrations, will teach
NATALIE S h a p ir o is a free-lance writer who really
Mulcahey wanted her next store to provide a classes this spring on anal sex, sex toys and S/M.
enjoyed the sex toy room.
T
"Ten years ago, dildos and
vibrators were more 'in the
doset.' I've done a lot about
getting them out of the doset."
— Holly Mulcahey