Sexy store slinks into Downtown

Downtown Cincinnati-based direct sales company Pure Romance is expanding its retail footprint in the region, but only for one month.

Truly Sexy – the company’s first pop-up shop – will open Feb. 5-28 on the first floor at 225 E. Sixth St., Downtown.

The 4,000-square-foot boutique will sell about 165 items including bath and beauty products, sex toys, and adult books and games.

Truly Sexy, which borrows its name from the company’s perfume line launched in 2014, will be open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pure Romance is also accepting reservations for shopping events for groups of 20 or more after 8 p.m.

Pure Romance chief executive Chris Cicchinelli said the company is maintaining its roots in building wealth among female business owners. But he said the move into retail is about extending the brand’s reach in the community.

If the downtown Cincinnati store is successful, Cicchinelli said, Pure Romance would consider operating pop-up stores in larger markets including New York City, Los Angeles or Chicago where it doesn’t have as significant of a reach through consultants.

The company is investing about $200,000 to operate the store, and will spend more money on promotion and advertising.

Each year, the company does limited retail sales at its Loveland warehouse around Valentine’s Day. About 10,000 per year typically visit the warehouse event, which this year will run Feb. 5-14.

Cicchinelli’s mother, Patty Brisben, founded the company in 1993 from her home in Loveland. Early last year, the company moved its headquarters from Loveland to 655 Plum St., Downtown.

Pure Romance has about 20,000 active sales consultants working in the United States and around the world.

Pure Romance was ranked No. 73 on the Deloitte 100 list of Cincinnati’s largest privately held companies. The 130-employee company had $110 million of revenue in 2013.

Cicchinelli said the company had about 30 percent revenue growth in 2014 from the previous year.

Private events can be scheduled by calling Suzanne Murray at rsvp@pureromance.com or (513) 205-7662.