Feelmore Adult, or Feelmore, an adult entertainment store and sex shop, opened a Berkeley location Jan. 2 on Shattuck Avenue.

Feelmore’s Berkeley location is smaller compared to its other location in Oakland, according to store owner Nenna Joiner. Joiner outlined their goals for Feelmore, including the promotion of sexual health and positivity to high school students and the community at large.

“It is insane, the opportunity we have to sell vibrators, but also the opportunity that we have to contribute to positive sexual expression,” Joiner said.

Feelmore offers a wide variety of sex toys and products. While Feelmore will not be stocking lingerie, the store has anal plugs, vibrators, dildos, condoms and lubricants, among other products.

When explaining why they decided to open a location in Berkeley, Joiner noted that they wanted to be there for the community and create a comfortable environment. Joiner added that because their parents live near the store, Berkeley “feels like home to me.”

Joiner said sex positivity needs to be promoted, and in their work outside of Feelmore, they give sex talks at private schools.

Because the Berkeley location is a block away from Berkeley High School, Joiner said they are looking to influence and support the sex health agenda at the high school. Joiner added that they want students to see that “sex is not dirty.”

The reaction from the Downtown Berkeley community has been positive, according to Matthew Jervis, Downtown Berkeley Association’s director of vitality.

“We are really happy. They are really making the most out of that little spot,” Jervis said. He added that Joiner will be an “asset to the community.”

Joiner also noted key differences between the Berkeley and Oakland locations, which were mainly in the clientele. According to Joiner, many people in Oakland come to the store alone and ask questions about the merchandise, the most common question being “What is this?”

Joiner said many people who come to the Berkeley location are with friends and openly discuss sex and masturbation.

“Their friends are creating places where there is no shame around it,” Joiner said.

Since opening their doors in January, Joiner said a lot of their bestsellers were flavored vibrators, anime vibrators and strokers or masturbators for men. Other popular products sold that surprised Joiner were kink items, such as ball gags and handcuffs.

Jervis also said he is excited to have new retail businesses in Downtown Berkeley. He added that he was surprised that a business like Feelmore did not already exist in Downtown because “it just seems like an organization or a business that would have already been open.”

Contact Robson Swift at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @swift_robson.