• Celebrity
    • OTE – Screen Kings
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Best In Black Beauty 2023
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • OTE – Screen Kings
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Best In Black Beauty 2023
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Love & Sex

Confessions of a Black Female Sex Shop Owner

A Bay area entrepreneur on the business of pleasure.
Confessions of a Black Female Sex Shop Owner
By Niema Jordan · Updated October 27, 2020

Colorful vibrators with USB chargers, Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, old-school records, and vintage issues of Playboy are just a few of the items you can find at Feelmore, a sex-positive erotic shop based in Oakland, California that’s owned and operated by Nenna Joiner. But if you’re not careful, you might miss it. There’s no lingerie in the window, no oversized photos of kinky couples to keep passers by from looking in. But that’s all intentional. Joiner teamed up with a top local designer to create a space that vibes like jazz.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest in hair, beauty, style and celebrity news.

“If you think about Jazz, you don’t know if it’s going to be a consistent beat or an intentional scat with the trumpet,” say Joiner. “We include the products but I also include these different types of scats…that really take you on this journey.” If you find yourself inside, you can catch  Joiner coaching a customer through their first purchase or doing an impromptu live stream about being an entrepreneur. She’s hands-on about her business, every step of the way. We spoke with Joiner about her decision to open a sex shop, diversity in the adult entertainment industry and creating a welcoming space. 

How did you decide to open a sex shop? 

My aunt Robin, who did a lot of work with San Francisco AIDS Foundation, taught me early in my life about my body as a young Black woman. She actually gave me a Good Vibrations book and I went to the store and I was like eh, this ain’t me. I stayed there for a minute and I said this is what I want to do. Instead of criticizing, I always talk about creating and that’s what I wanted to do. 

Your store has more than erotic toys. Can you tell us a bit about how you decided to stock Feelmore? 

We have the traditional products but we definitely do the erotic art, we do the kitsch things, we have some pillowcases, our vagina pillowcases, we do just different things. There’s so much erotic material out there that if you put it together well, it’s a collection. Ms. Naomi (Wilzig) owned World Erotic Museum in Miami, Florida, the first time I saw Picasso was in her gallery. She just talked to me about collections and how to collect. 

Can you tell us a bit about your clientele? 

We have everything from the “gentrifier” to the hippy to the older person who brings their own sacks to put their things in, to the church lady to the church men. We actually have a pretty diverse clientele. I’m really appreciative of that because I really want to make sure I’m here because it’s important for African-Americans to know that there’s someone who understands their community. We have people come here because they have heard that we are Black-owned and they’ve heard that I do work in the community, that I’m in this community, that’s important.

What questions do you ask first-time customers? 

It’s about meeting people where they are, not just hearing that they have money. If you’re a first time person, I’ll ask what’s your budget, if you have any hand or wrist problems – some people don’t like vibration in their hands or wrists – material questions and if you are in a roommate situation.  Some people come in like, my girlfriend has this kind of vibrator so I want it, and I’m like but what do you want? 

What is Feelmore?

It’s a gathering place of spirits and hearts. It’s a place that people can also be themselves and not be objectified and be accepted right where they are. Doesn’t sound too retail-y, but that’s what makes Feelmore Feelmore. 

How have you made sure that your space is something different that what people are really used to? 

I think one of my true heroes behind God is Hugh Hefner, honestly. One of the things that he really did was embrace diversity. There were ways that he could strategically embrace diversity while making the millions that he made. He included people of color in the magazines like Darine Stern who was on the cover in 1973, October and Jennifer Jackson [who was Playmate of the Month]. I wanted to make sure that in a white homogenous industry that we could actually have people of color included.

TOPICS:  Sex Sex Advice
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now