By Wang Ru (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-06-17 10:44

On January 8, 1993, Beijing Adam & Eve finally opened. "It was a cold winter day with heavy snow covering the street, I was so excited to see what would happen next, like a student waiting for their exam result," Wen recalls.

Wen kept the door open in the winter, looking for his first customer. But, in the next two weeks - no one except a beggar stepped in.

On the 16th day, a whistling young man wandered in. As soon as he realized what the shop was selling, he stopped whistling and his face turned red.

The young man did end up, however, buying a box of condoms at 9.6 yuan ($1.37). Excited, Wen bought steamed stuffed buns from a vendor on the street at 10 yuan to celebrate his first sale.

After a local newspaper reported the opening of Wen's shop in just three sentences, national and Western media streamed into the small store. Curious people packed the street to see the shop, which even improved business for the steamed bun vendor.

"Overnight, I became a celebrity. Some said I was a liberator and pioneer, and some accused me of being nasty. I just placed myself as a different businessman," says Wen.

After the first sex shop was introduced to the public, customers from all over the country poured in. As the business thrived, Wen noticed particular social habits of his patrons. Some shy customers wore sunglasses while shopping and ran out before getting their change. But, eventually, more people came to select products and even consulted with sales staff, Wen says.

"If I had filmed all the customers, the documentary would present dramatic changes of people's attitudes over the past 15 years," Wen says.

From 1994, hundreds of adult shops opened in Beijing, recounted Wen. "It become an usual shop for people."

The adults' products industry boomed as quickly as the country's economy. As adult shops began opening in every corner of the city, Wen felt increasing pressure since his fame alone couldn't make his shop more competitive.

In the late 1990s, he followed the wave of e-business to open an online store and set up branch shops, including one in Beijing's busiest shopping mall. He even considered enlisting Adam & Eve on the stock market.

But, at last Wen found the nature of the business: "Small, simple and quality, that's enough for a good adult shop."

Small stores named "adult health care" can be found on almost every street across the country; people can also buy adult products cheaply online, says Wen, who now runs five Adam & Eve stores in Beijing.

"Credit and quality are the driving forces for any business. The market will eliminate unqualified players in the end," says Wen.

"I will not give up running this business, until old age prevents me."

(China Daily 06/17/2008 page20)

   1 2 3 4   

   1 2 3 4