Oh hey. Just here to talk about myself/business to let the people of the Rochester area know about us. The space is a good resource for shoppin' and learnin' for grown ups.
But I thought I'd come on here and ramble about things in case anyone searches the internet for us. Note, since this isn't an advertisement (well, technically, I guess it would be since it’s about a business) it's very informal and just a blog post with info. Mainly so you can read/see the “real humans” behind the business.
This post is about our business story specifically. We are at 226 Monroe Ave in Rochester, NY. It’s kitty corner to Bug Jar, right on the corner where the old bodega and jewelry store was.
We just opened on October 25th of 2022, so we're still new to the city. We are a boutique that sells sex toys and sexy clothes. We also have kind of a gift shop section that is sort of like Spencers or Hot Topic, except we’re a local business and probably cooler. ;)
So, I’m Kristy and I own it with my partner Randy. Randy’s a Rochester native (Hamlin, to be precise) and I am a transplant from Humboldt County, CA. I came out here initially for nursing school at U of R. While I am still a nurse and I have my Master’s FNP degree, I’m currently slingin’ dildos full time and invested all of my monies into it. It’s been a blast, though!
We’ve both always wanted to own our own business and be our own bosses. My first real job was in an adult boutique in Eureka, CA and although it was brief employment, I knew in my guts that one day I’d want to own my own business like that. Very body positive. Very sex positive.
We had talked about the concept of Medusas for years, a concept that Rochester seemed to be lacking; a boutique that’s rooted in sexual health and education whilst being a safe space for everyone. Anyone and everyone who walks through the door should feel like they belong there. We also find it important to de-stigmatize human sexuality. It’s a normal part of our lives and engrained in our biology. It does not matter your gender, sexuality, age, religion, race, etc. We all have some form of a sexuality (even our ace buddies) and we shouldn’t feel shame in wanting to express and explore it. If everyone is a consenting adult, it’s no one’s business but your own and whomever you choose to explore it with.
Enter Medusas. We don’t have a fun story behind the name, we just love Medusa and the idea of equality…somehow we just decided on Medusa to be our name and logo. We officially formed the MedusasROC LLC in March of 2022 and then started scouting locations. Our location was empty for quite sometime and in poor condition inside, but it was a perfect spot for our business concept. We started working in the space about May/June. Luckily, it was primarily cosmetic, no real construction or building required…but that didn’t make it easy either. It literally took blood, sweat, and tears and we’re still improving and updating things with more blood, sweat, and tears. This place is an extension of ourselves and home. It may be a little chaotic and messy in there at times because we’re constantly expanding and improving.
Anyway, we have been having a blast. The community that we’ve interacted with seems very supportive in our adventure. You can ask any questions you’d like and browse all sorts of fun things. I’ve made sure to have information and education posted around the shop and am continuing to expand on that. This makes it easier for folks who may be shy or hearing impaired (unfortunately, we don’t know ASL but we’re trying to learn!). But there’s benefits to shopping in a boutique, other than just learning and asking questions. You can see our items, try them on, and items are guaranteed. Our prices are also very good and competitive. Yes, we are also trying to make a living but we don’t feel like you should have to pay a fortune for pleasure.
So, in addition to a wide array of toys for grown ups, we have a bunch of other things. Our favorites are the harnesses and mens lingerie. There’s not a lot of options in the area for those things either so we really enjoy finding them and stocking them.
Additionally, the store isn’t technically an “adult store”, even though there are adult themed items (and yes, you gotta be 18 to go in). I think that’s where people get confused, especially since there aren’t many other stores like us in this area. There are no rooms, theaters, nudity, etc. Nothing like that. It’s like a spicy version of Victoria’s Secret or something like that. No funny business. It’s a boutique. A shopping experience. A learning experience. No “creepy” behavior is tolerated. It should be no different than if you go into any other store. Again, our goal is to get rid of stigma and promote positive (and consensual) sexuality and health. We want to be a positive part of our community.
I’ve rambled long enough. That’s our store and our story. And yes, we do have a shop cat. Her name is Tiffany and she’ll have her own story post.
Please come see us! Ask us questions and stay curious. We have something for every body in town. If we don’t, ask about that too! We can order things and restock. :)