Over 40 years as your place for pleasure!
Founded in 1981 by Phyllis Heppenstall, Lovers has been a fearless leader of the sex positive and sexual wellness movement. Defying all odds, Lovers was founded in a time where women weren’t encouraged to be entrepreneurs, prioritize their pleasure, or even have a presence in a largely male dominated sex toy industry. Nevertheless, Phyllis forged her own path and started something incredibly special.
We are thrilled to follow in Phyllis’s footsteps. In keeping with her mission, Lovers is committed to carving out spaces, both in our stores and digitally, that empower, educate, and inspire people of all backgrounds to reach their greatest pleasure potential. Thank you for allowing Lovers to be a part of your personal journey. We are so glad you are here.
Our History
Lovers was founded in 1981 by a mother and daughter, Phyllis Heppenstall and Kris Butt.
The first three Lovers stores opened just outside Seattle within 14 months of each other. The company grew steadily over the next two decades, establishing itself as the leading lingerie and sexual wellness retail chain. At that time, Lovers stores attracted primarily women and heterosexual couples.
Between 2000 and 2004 Lovers acquired two successful chains in the LA Area - Con Rev and A Touch of Romance. In 2012, Lovers added Christal’s stores in Texas and Tennessee to the roster.
Today we are all proudly Lovers, an omni channel business that operates 41 stores in five states, that provides a robust digital brand and shopping experience at loversstores.com
Lovers caters to every individual looking to reach their greatest pleasure potential. Our brand will continue to evolve and grow as we help shape the conversations about sex positivity, fun, self-love, and empowerment.
Purpose Statement
We provide accurate information, guidance and high-quality curated products for all interests, needs and budgets in the world of sexual pleasure. Lovers is a judgment free environment committed to being at the forefront of social change and champions of sexual discovery.
Our Values
Lovers is like a trusted, close friend that is always willing to guide you with openness, knowledge and positivity. Lovers helps to empower and inspire positive sexual experiences as a crucial component of self-satisfaction and fulfillment.
INCLUSIVITY
We welcome, serve, and celebrate people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and socio-economic statuses as both employees and consumers.
WELL-BEING
We believe that, for most people, experiencing pleasure plays an essential role in overall health and well-being.
SEX POSITIVITY
We promote a sex-positive culture. We support people and causes that advance body and sex positivity.
RESPECT
We hold as universal truth that respect and consent are essential to every sexual experience.
EMPOWERMENT
We believe in personal empowerment as an essential component to personal growth.
Brand Expressions
We believe that pleasure is for everybody and every body. We are committed to engaging with our customers with authenticity and authority in a judgment and shame free environment - digitally and in the physical space. We are committed to fun and to Pleasure Based Activism. By following our Brand Expressions of Education, Advocacy, and Transparency we will help lead the conversation around sex positivity for a pleasure filled world.
EDUCATION
As a company that sells products that enhance pleasure, it is our role to educate, empower, and foster a community around sex-positivity and permission to seek out and find pleasure in healthy, consensual ways.
ADVOCACY
We are advocates and allies, championing the voices and rights of historically marginalized communities including people with differently-abled bodies, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+, and all people who sit on the intersections of these lived experiences.
TRANSPARENCY
Like many companies, we are committed to doing better in the areas of inclusion and representation in all aspects. Including the areas which we still need to work on and are learning about. We believe this brings authenticity to our platform and builds trust with our audience.
