Adult retailer eyes 50 shades of green

A perfect storm is brewing for risqué product sales with Valentine’s day falling on a Saturday and coinciding with the release of the erotic film Fifty Shades of Grey.

Just as retailers such as Toys “R” Us, Kohl’s and Target offer extended hours ahead of Christmas, the 13-unit Hustler Hollywood chain is viewing this weekend’s confluence of events as a major sales opportunity.

The Beverly Hills, Calif.-based chain, which bills itself as an upscale, modern erotic boutique dedicated to providing a sophisticated shopping experience for the sexually curious, said select locations would be open for 24 hours on Valentine’s Day while other locations would open earlier than normal at 8 a.m.

"Valentine's Day has always been a popular holiday for us, and every year we hear of people coming in last-minute trying to find the perfect gift," said Hustler Hollywood’s Senior Director of Retail Operations, Philip Del Rio. "So this year, we are making it easy to come in and find that unique gift any time, day or night, for that special Valentine.”

Elevating interest in the company’s unique assortment of adult-oriented products is the Valentine’s Day release of Universal Pictures' "Fifty Shades of Grey." The film adaptation of the racy book about a relationship between a young college student and her sexually masochistic boss is expected to inspire a new group of customers, according to the retailer.

"From what we experienced when the book came out, and even just with the release of the first trailer, we are anticipating people wanting to shop right after they see the movie on Friday night," said Del Rio. "We are ready and excited to help curious people who want to explore what they watched in the movie."

To further generate shopper traffic, Hustler Hollywood is offering customers 25% off if they shop between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. They will also have the chance to win a “romance package” consisting of an overnight stay at a local hotel, dinner for two and a gift basket the retailer said is filled with items to ignite customers passion.