How did you get into this?

This question must be the number one question Jodie and I get asked, actually there is another question that comes close, but I will get to that later! The background of how I got into the adult retail industry is very different to Jodie's, and as Jodie invented the concept, this is about her.

Back in 1999 Jodie went to buy her first vibrator, and found an adult shop in Frankston which is about 35km out of Melbourne, or as she likes to call it, Frana! After finally getting the courage up to step foot into the place she is confronted by the stereo typical bald man standing behind the counter, reading a porno mag! She looked around and felt as though he was watching her, as in watching her a bit too closely! The atmosphere was such that there was no help, advice, or any kind of service, let alone music and colour. So she quickly picked a vibrator up off the rack, which was $200, and went to the counter and paid for it, and got out.

After catching her breath, and feeling as though there must be a better adult shop somewhere in the Southern suburbs, Jodie began hunting around. To her surprise there were no female friendly adult shops. So Jodie decided to fix that, and started Sextastic Party Plan by having a stall at the Dandenong Market. It was such a success that she looked around and found a shop for lease and applied to open her 1st store.

How much help do you think she got from Council?? Yes...you would be correct if you guessed sweet FA! The time frame for doing this suggested at about 6-9 months by the planning department, but quickly grew out to 18 months! Jodie in the mean time started to have a stall at Sexpo's around the country and gained product knowledge by researching all sorts of books, and information on the subject of adult sex education, which is now her passion. The wholesalers were very reluctant to supply her at first, as it was incredibly unusual for a female to not only own an adult shop, but even more rare to actually run one herself.

So once Jodie made a decision to open an adult shop, she was not going to take no from anybody, which won't surprise anyone who has met her! A girl with Catholic parents, and a non supportive family tried to stand in her way. She was told she could have done anything in her life, so why do this. Not only were family against the idea, but Casey Council, and would you believe it, Jodie's own Town Planner, which was supposed to be on her side.

Of course the Council rejected the application after they caused more delays than a bottle of Indian God lotion contains. Then what happens is an appeal process to VCAT (a planning dispute tribunal), so Jodie contacted her planner and asked to start the process, and was then told by the man who she was paying several thousands of dollars to, that he couldn't do the appeal, because he works on behalf of the Casey Council!! Now, how is that for an honest, ethical guy! This individual, actually ended up representing against Jodie at VCAT, the same man who designed, and presented for Jodie at the Council meeting with her application!

Not one to take this sort of thing lightly, Jodie pressed on and defeated this professional Town Planner and Council, and eventually, after paying 18 months of rent on a building she couldn't use, Sextastic Hallam was open in August 2001. Not bad for a lady who just had 2 children, and family along with others against her.

Right from day one Hallam was a success because it was full of toys, games and novelties for woman, in fact the first 'catch cry' of Sextastic was 'for woman and their partners'. This was printed under the name on the front of the building, and we actually used to have men park their cars and ask if it was a women only shop! Jodie made sure that the development of the brand was based around advice, and setting a culture of fun, love and education, that made Sextastic, and still does make stand out from the rest.

As for me, well I was lucky enough to meet Jodie again in 2002 after we were childhood friends in our teens in a suburb called Clayton. (Or as Jode has a way of re-naming suburbs, ClaytonMate)! I was working in retail as a Manager and it took until 2005 until I was convinced to help her grow the business, with much less fanfare and resistance than Jodie got. So 6 years on we are still together in the business, and in life, and we will be sharing some stories of those times with you each week now. (Boy do we have some stories)!! 

O'h by the way i said at the start there was another question that came close in popularity to the 'how did we' question, and that is "What kind of people come into Sextastic"? The answer.......people just like you!