By Dominic Lucchesi

I remember when Feelmore Adult Gallery opened in downtown Oakland a few years back.  My partner and I poked our heads into the shop late one night.  The welcoming attitude of the staff, and the laid-back nature of the space made me feel comfortable – generally not the first adjective most would choose to describe your average adult store.  I’ve popped in a few times since then, and have enjoyed watching Feelmore become a prominent, progressive member of the local business community.

Pedal Express is proud to announce that we are partnering with Feelmore to offer local, same-day delivery of a wide variety of sex toys and products beginning May 1st.  We are stoked to be working with Feelmore – a local business that’s as bike friendly as it is sex positive (very!).

“Since opening, we have allowed bikes to be parked in the store while our clients shop… With delivery, we are taking things a step further, as it is a win for everyone.  Removing gear, securing the bike and packing away the helmet for a bottle of glycerin/paraben-free lube takes dedication.  Feelmore wants to take the stress out of shopping.”

To celebrate National Bike Month (and, coincidently, National Masturbation Month), deliveries during the month of May will include a free gift with online purchases.  In addition, cyclists coming into the shop will receive ten percent off their purchase.

Nenna was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about Feelmore, bikes and East Bay living…

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Nenna and I own Feelmore Adult Gallery which is a progressive adult store.  We opened February 14, 2011 with a lot of hard work.  We are located at 1703 Telegraph Ave in the Uptown District of Downtown Oakland.

My favorite things about living/working in the East Bay is that you can find so much.  From the type of work, food, people, sexual perspectives, and information…You can literally get full yet want more.  But more importantly, the great majority of small businesses that make up the area.  There are so many unique businesses out there that can support Feelmore’s expansion and vision.  We will continue to ask our Social Network community with whom we should partner to meet their needs!

I posted a question on Facebook that I would like to offer bike delivery for our products and someone on our timeline suggested we try Pedal Express.  After doing my research, I saw that they [Pedal Express] are a cooperative and I’m potentially looking to move Feelmore towards a co-op – it just made sense.  

I like the ownership mentality in my business and see the smiles and professionalism that Pedal Express has demonstrated even before our first order.  This also gives Feelmore a chance to be sustainable and eco-friendly as we become more invested in our community.  With Pedal Express being in business for 20-years, our clients can trust that their privacy will be protected as all packages will arrive in wrapped packaging by a company that has a quality reputation.

What kind of products does Feelmore offer?

We sell everything in the sex toy universe. Our expectation is for customers to purchase products that they need in a hurry, or don’t have access to public transportation, or simply would like to support keeping their car off the road.

Why is it important for you to operate a bike friendly business?

Feelmore has been bike friendly since day one.  Oakland is steadily getting up to speed on what the community needs, but a huge need for many cyclists are bike racks.  As we did not have any in front of our store, we let people know they were able to bring their bikes in for safety.  In fact, I want to make sure all of our future expansions are also bike friendly.  In the past, we partnered with a local bike shop on a workshop entitled: ‘Bike Safety for Sex Workers’ as a way to teach bike safety for sex workers that are using their bikes to get to and from appointments.  There is more than one way for Feelmore to interact with the biking community as a cooperative component.