Local Tucson shops give students options to explore a different side of Valentine’s Day this year that depart from the usual chocolates and roses.

Fascinations, a local adult entertainment store, is offering many options to introduce into their sex lives for those celebrating Valentine’s Day, from beginner items to items for those more sexually advanced, according to Anna Kanto, store manager of Fascinations.

The Sexy Valentine’s Bag O Tricks by the Screaming O company is amongst the gifts Fascinations has to offer and includes various vibrators and lubes.

The popular couples vibrator called We-Vibe has also been a huge seller at the store.

Kanto said what makes this item fun and interesting is the phone app that gives one person the power to turn it on and off whenever they want from anywhere in the world, while the other person uses the vibrator.

The app comes with the vibrator when it is purchased and is popular amongst long-distance couples and military couples where one or both persons may be deployed.

The social media buzz over the “Fifty Shades of Grey” movie, coming out on Thursday, has also caused a buzz in the local adult entertainment shop. 

According to Kanto, there is a full wall dedicated to “Fifty Shades of Grey”-themed toys and kits to purchase, specifically those exploring the BDSM community.

The collection includes multiple bondage and fantasy kits that range from about $20 and up, but Fascinations also offers a variety of lingerie, massage oils and sex toys ranging in price from $2 and up.

Kanto said that Valentine’s Day is the busiest time of the year for the store, even topping the holiday season. While working the evening and night shifts, she has seen a lot of young adults and university students buying Valentine’s Day gifts.

“A lot of people are being more adventurous with their sex lives because of [the ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ movie],” Kanto said. “It’s really nice, because a lot of that stuff can be fun — and I think, before, a lot of people were scared to explore that.”

Kanto said that the store is not only a place to purchase lingerie and sex toys but is also an educational outlet for those who are simply curious and have questions.

“We are all very open here,” Kanto said, “so we kind of help the conversation for people who are shy.”

Jellywink Boutique is another local adult store that caters to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community but is open to anyone.

Kat Hermanson, a gender and women’s studies sophomore, works at the boutique and said that it has a wide variety of novelty items that are gender and sexuality inclusive.

Hermanson said that the We-Vibe has been a popular item at the store, along with books on female orgasms, various bondage and dominatrix kits and different massage oils.

Hermanson said that, while Valentine’s Day is a Hallmark holiday in her eyes, she feels that it gives people an excuse to explore their sexualities.

“It can sometimes be intimidating to bring new things like lube or vibrators into the bedroom,” Hermanson said. “I think that Valentine’s Day is a really good gateway to introduce those ideas.”

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