Venus Envy (sex shop)
Encyclopedia
Venus Envy is a Canadian sex shop
and independent book store with a web site and two retail stores (in Ottawa
, Ontario
and Halifax, Nova Scotia). Conceived along the lines of such pioneering sex businesses as Babeland
and Good Vibrations, Venus Envy was the second Canadian business to offer woman-friendly surroundings and service distinct from traditional sex stores (other, similar stores include Womyns'Ware
in Vancouver
, which opened in 1995, and Come As You Are, which opened in 1997, and Good For Her in Toronto
).
The company's slogan is "a store for women and the people who love them."
of the city in 1998 and moved to its current downtown
location in 1999. The Halifax location is a full-service book store that serves as the local women's and LGBT
book store as well as a sex shop.
The Ottawa
store opened in the Byward Market
area in 2001 and moved to its current Centretown
location in 2005. Venus Envy Ottawa is more narrowly a sex shop, offering books only on matters of sex, gender, reproduction, and health.
outreach in partnership with local groups such as the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health (formerly Planned Parenthood Canada) and various student and women's organizations.
Both Venus Envy locations offer bursary programs in support of local women pursuing post-secondary education.
Sex shop
A sex shop, erotic shop is a shop that sells products related to adult sexual or erotic entertainment, such as sex toys, lingerie, clothing, pornography, and other related products...
and independent book store with a web site and two retail stores (in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Halifax, Nova Scotia). Conceived along the lines of such pioneering sex businesses as Babeland
Babeland
Babeland, formerly known as Toys in Babeland, is a women-owned sex toy boutique offering erotic toys, books and pornographic films. Babeland has an online store and four retail stores .-History:...
and Good Vibrations, Venus Envy was the second Canadian business to offer woman-friendly surroundings and service distinct from traditional sex stores (other, similar stores include Womyns'Ware
Womyns'Ware
Womyns'Ware Inc. is a women-owned Vancouver, British Columbia-based sex shop.Founded in 1995, it was Canada's first women-oriented sex shop, featuring a clean, well-lit retail showroom and a notable absence of the kinds of exploitational merchandise that can make customers, particularly women, feel...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, which opened in 1995, and Come As You Are, which opened in 1997, and Good For Her in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
).
The company's slogan is "a store for women and the people who love them."
Locations
The Halifax Venus Envy opened in the South endSouth End, Halifax
The South End is a region of Halifax Regional Municipality, located on the southern half of the Halifax Peninsula in Halifax's urban centre. Quinpool Road is increasingly considered to be an arbitrary border between the South and North Ends, though Quinpool Road is also a part of the West End, and...
of the city in 1998 and moved to its current downtown
Downtown Halifax
Downtown Halifax is the city centre of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern-central portion of the Halifax Peninsula, on Halifax Harbour, it serves as the business, entertainment, and tourism hub of the region.- Municipal:...
location in 1999. The Halifax location is a full-service book store that serves as the local women's and LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
book store as well as a sex shop.
The Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
store opened in the Byward Market
Byward Market
ByWard Market is a district in Lower Town located east of the government & business district, surrounding the market buildings and open-air market on George, York, ByWard and William Streets.The district is bordered on the west by Sussex Drive, on the...
area in 2001 and moved to its current Centretown
Centretown
Centretown is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada defined by the city as "the area bounded on the north by Gloucester Street and Lisgar Street, on the east by the Rideau Canal, on the south by the Queensway Freeway and on the west by Bronson Avenue." Traditionally it was all of Ottawa west of the...
location in 2005. Venus Envy Ottawa is more narrowly a sex shop, offering books only on matters of sex, gender, reproduction, and health.
Education
Venus Envy offers sexual and health education workshops, and engages in sex educationSex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
outreach in partnership with local groups such as the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health (formerly Planned Parenthood Canada) and various student and women's organizations.
Both Venus Envy locations offer bursary programs in support of local women pursuing post-secondary education.