Bala

Jun 2, 2023

Contact Sports Opens on Mercer Street Located at 43 Mercer Street, Contact Sports hopes to change how shopping for sex gear should look and feel, with a locker-room-inspired boutique. Prior to opening Contact Sports, founders Justin & Chelsea Kerzner had been running Naked Retail, one of the first spaces designed for start-up brands with a 7,000 sq. ft. space on Mulberry Street, SoHo. They hosted experiences for sexual wellness brands such as Dame, Theragun, Bala, and Supergoop, and the merchandise mix at Contact Sports ranges from apparel and accessories to sexual wellness products and sex toys. A baseball glove chair and vintage magazines feature within the interior. Anna Morgowicz The focus, say the owners, is on a customer that has historically felt uncomfortable and embarrassed going into a traditional sex shop, where people felt “overwhelmed and uninspired”. They contend that there are multiple new and exciting brands moving the category forward, but there has yet to be a retail space that does the same. Sports-Based Interior Stepping into Contact Sports, you’ll find a 15-ft. wall of red roses available for purchase singley or in bunches, inspired by some of the most memorable moments in sport – from Michael Phelps’ eight-straight Beijing Olympic podiums to the Pasadena Rose Bowl. Working with Ringo Studio founder Madelynn Ringo –who has designed retail spaces for Glossier, Bala and Our Place – dark walnut panelling, brass rails and shelves, plus green cushions have been used to create a collegiate atmosphere, while mosaic floor tiles and baskets of towels evoke a locker room. And there is a Jonathan de Pas, Donato d'Urbino and Paolo Lomazzi giant baseball glove chair, along with vintage Playboy and Sports Illustrated magazines The global sex toys industry is expected to more than double in value over the next decade. Anna Morgowicz Contact Sports has stuck to just 70 products at launch, plus apparel and gear including sweatshirts, hoodies, a classic baseball cap, sports towel, water bottle, and tube socks. “Sex should be fun, explorative, exciting and well, sexy, all while respecting boundaries. We’re changing the mindset around a traditionally guilt-ridden retail experience. We’ve created a space for the athlete in all of us,” says co-founder Chelsea Kerzner. Given the prospective growth in the market, with sexual wellness it seems there is all to play for. Follow me on  Twitter  or  LinkedIn . Check out my  website .