Hustler Hollywood plans to open up to 30 UK stores on the back of an initial£33 million start-up investment.
Its UK debut - revealed by Retail Week last May - will begin with the launch of a Web site in May. The first store is to open in Birmingham in August, followed by a London flagship in September and three more outlets next year. Hustler Hollywood UK retail operations manager Marianne Tosh said she wanted 20 to 30 stores over 'a good five years'.
Described as 'erotic department stores' the shops will include a cafe; clothing, such as lingerie; adult toys, such as vibrators; cards; gifts and homewares.
They will not be classed as sex stores, but as standard retail outlets.
The shops will not carry adult videos and DVDs, except for sex education films.
Tosh said: 'Initially, we plan to stock 50 per cent of the same product as the US, and 50 per cent specifically bought for the UK market.'
The stores will operate under a licence from US parent Hustler Entertainment, and are backed by a consortium of four UK private investors.
'We are in talks (for retail licences) with Japan and another country at the moment,' said Hustler Ent-ertainment executive vice president, retail operations, Theresa Flynt Gaerke. She said Hustler stores target couples, as well as singles, which distinguishes it from other adult stores.
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