Happy Birthday to Us!
It's incredible that we are steadily closing in on 50 years of bringing the best-quality pleasure products and trustworthy sex information to the people. From the very beginning, our founder Joani Blank wanted to fill in the gaps of knowledge that lead to problems in peoples' sex lives, and our earliest staffers, just like our current ones, know a big part of their job is serving as an antidote to fear and shame.
Back in 1977, Joani had been working as a facilitator of “pre-orgasmic women’s groups” at the UCSF medical school; over and over the women in the groups exclaimed that they "could never go into one of those places" (translation: an adult store) to get a vibrator. That led to Joani's lightbulb moment; she realized she could create a different kind of store. That's our origin story, and over the next few decades our example inspired countless others and changed the sex toy business forever, proudly carrying on Joani’s legacy since her death in 2016. Though Joani’s core mission was making a safe and comfortable space for women -- which will always stay important to us -- our focus has expanded to make sure that everyone of any gender or sexuality will feel welcome here too.
Our first location, hidden away on a side street in the Mission District, has given way to multiple larger locations—now you can find us in three San Francisco neighborhoods, two East Bay cities, two South Bay cities, and two Boston-area communities.
Six years ago we were also given the honor of becoming an official San Francisco Legacy Business, a title given to us by the city in recognition of our commitment to serving the San Francisco / Bay Area community with access to the essential knowledge and tools to make a positive impact on both our customers and the larger cultural outlook of what it means to feel empowered in and by our sexuality.
Not only has our mission grown over the past 4+ decades, but the industry as a whole has, too. We’ve gone from a small, curated selection of “personal massagers” from the limited catalog we offered when we opened in the late 70s, to the hundreds of products available in our storefronts and the thousands available on our web store. We continue to see new and innovative sex tech roll out all of the time – from app-controlled toys to self-thrusting toys and more – but we still keep the tried-and-true classics as well. In fact, we still offer the very first product we carried, and it’s still a best seller after all these years – the iconic Magic Wand!
We don’t just offer vibrators, either. The experience of sexuality and pleasure is so varied, and there’s so much to explore, that we try and keep a broad selection to help our customers find the right fit for their needs. Gender affirmation products, BDSM gear, how-to books and erotica, body care, and so so much more. From one generation to the next, we’re always growing and learning – with our customers and staff helping us by sharing what they want to see and what we need to know to stay in pace with their sex information and product needs.
Good Vibes has always been rooted in the deep belief that access to information can empower communities and help remove shame and judgment for one another--and over the years our determination has only grown to help everyone access the life-changing potential of living comfortably in our sexuality--we share that perspective with folks like you each and every day!
From offering the support of a trained staff of Sex Educator Sales Associates on the floors of each Good Vibes shop who are there to answer your questions in a shame-free environment, to the fun and educational talks and workshops we bring to college campuses, community centers, and even straight to your home through our Virtual Events - we are so proud to carry our legacy of pleasure forward and help make the world a more sex-positive place.
Making the world a more sex-positive place cannot happen without supporting and uplifting our communities. Through our GiVe program, we are able to collect donations to support non-profits and charities that provide resources and support to local charities that aid marginalized communities, provide sexual health services, provide safe spaces for survivors, defend the rights of underrepresented populations, deliver aid to victims of natural disasters, and more. GiVe also provides educational outreach workshops and support to help people on their journey to both mental and physical wellness. 100% of all donations collected go directly to our partners – you can find out more about current and past partners here.
It’s been a true pleasure to be here for you and help you on your journey for the past 46 years. Here’s to many, many more to come!
