Adult Baby Store

[daddybrian]

I am looking into maybe starting up a store that sells specifically to adult baby clientel. Am conducting this survey to see what there may be already and comparing prices. All feedback is greatly appreciated.

[KittenAB]

It would only work if you had a large AB population in the area. ABU is talking about opening up a storefront here in Washington, but they already have a steady warehouse business going so it wouldn't need to make much profit. Good luck to you, and I hope it catches on.

[Angela Bauer]

I am looking into maybe starting up a store that sells specifically to adult baby clientel. Am conducting this survey to see what there may be already and comparing prices. All feedback is greatly appreciated.

Daddy Brian,

Have you researched the history of physical in-person retail stores dealing with any adult entertainment products? Then refine your research to in-person stores dealing only with a tiny segment of the adult entertainment products market? Did you find any stores just selling AB products that are successful enough over a long period you want to use as your business model?

Some factors to consider include geography. For example, you are located in San Diego. Because of the US Navy bases and recruit training facility, as well as US Marine bases and Recruit Training Depot, certain sections of San Diego had numerous adult entertainment stores in the old days. What are current regulatory attitudes? Sure there are AB/DL folks living in San Diego, but are there enough of them to keep an AB store going? Would people drive north to buy AB stuff? Would they drive west to reach you? How far south would they drive? East of San Diego there is a lot of sparsely populated country. North of you in Orange and Los Angeles Counties there are existing adult entertainment stores, but none limited to just Adult Baby. Could it be that even with a large population there are not enough customers to make the venture work?

By the way, Brian, do you have experience owning any kind of retail store? Have you access to enough money to equip your store, stock it and keep it going until you build a large and loyal base of customers? How would you explain your store business plan to bankers and zoning regulators? Where will you purchase the AB stuff you plan to sell? Will your store offer lower prices than on-line sellers?

Best wishes for the success of your plan.

[wetnappyuk]

Angela has very good points. Segmentation to a limited population of buyers does limit your income, have you considered agreeing trade prices from suppliers and perhaps starting up online first? Warehouse and internet charges are much less than retail 'walk in premesis'. YOu could start off using your home as a depot and building from there, but would only advise this after 2 years of income with a decent wage for you.

I am a business development manager and know the UK market well, I wouldnt personally or advise just having a focus on the AB scene - as good as it is :-)

[daddybrian]

Thank you everyone for your input. What if made own cribs and sold them in store? Will be continuing to do more research

[sarah_ab]

i wouldn't go to a store, much easier to just shop online, then you can see all there is out there, and not just feel you have to 'settle' for what the store sells.

now if it were an adult entertainment store that hapoened to have an adult baby section i might go into it, because i'm into more than just age play.

[Angela Bauer]

Thank you everyone for your input. What if made own cribs and sold them in store? Will be continuing to do more research

Sure, Brian, if you have the necessary skill and experience to make high-quality adult cribs on a custom basis at a low enough price, there is a small market. Almost certainly most in the San Diego region who want and can afford an adult crib already have one, so you would need to also sell those on-line.

The same skills and equipment needed to make adult cribs would let you make highchairs and rocking horses. Changing tables require less equipment since they are basically cabinets. PlayPens often are as complicated to build as cribs.

My friends who own adult cribs and highchairs had them built by Hollywood movie industry prop companies at full-union rates, so those are way expensive. Friends I have visited outside California have adult cribs made by various people and those cost less. Think about this carefully, okay?

[sarah_ab]

i would prefer 'functional' and 'discrete' ab equipment, a 'high chair' that when the tray is taken off looks like a regular bar stool chair, a 'changing table' that when the pad is taken off the top looks like a low cabinet, a crib with easily removeable sides that could fold up and store underneath the bed for when company is over.... things like that.... so when its play time its a breeze to make the cabinet, bed and chair into a changing table, crib, and high chair, but just as quickly it can all be stored away for when someone comes knocking...

[sarah_ab]

i would prefer 'functional' and 'discrete' ab equipment, a 'high chair' that when the tray is taken off looks like a regular bar stool chair, a 'changing table' that when the pad is taken off the top looks like a low cabinet, a crib with easily removeable sides that could fold up and store underneath the bed for when company is over.... things like that.... so when its play time its a breeze to make the cabinet, bed and chair into a changing table, crib, and high chair, but just as quickly it can all be stored away for when someone comes knocking...

[AndB]

Adding the furniture just adds a whole new potential regulatory nightmare. In all likelihood there are safety laws about cribs for babies, and most laws probably don't specify. Some people get freaked out, call the cops...now you're getting shut down because your adult cribs don't fit the safety regulations.

I'd have to echo the sentiment that I just don't see how it could work. Now if you had a small retail location dedicated to selling quality incontinence products, I could see that working. Especially if you strategically located near or even in a medical office building with a good urologist. You could have a small section of other things used by ABs as it would be part of your clientele.

But I don't know about a big store completely dedicated to such a small market. Especially when that market is a particular sexual fetish. Is there an S&M store in your area? How big is it, and how well do they do? Not a sex shop with some S&M stuff, but a store that's all about S&M. That would help give you an answer about how your store would do.

[daddybrian]

Just wish that a store like Baby's R Us sold merchandise for the adult babies as well as the real babies. I think they could get some revenue at least selling in store adult diapers and be able to order adult size baby clothes.

[Angela Bauer]

Just wish that a store like Baby's R Us sold merchandise for the adult babies as well as the real babies. I think they could get some revenue at least selling in store adult diapers and be able to order adult size baby clothes.

Considering how much stuff AB currently buy from Babies-R-Us I am sure the top management is well aware of Adult Babies. For example, the Van Nuys branch of BRU is my primary supplier of Gerber baby Birdseye prefold diapers. When I am running low I ask that manager to save me the next case of those that arrives. Given the same manager has been serving me for many years and has never seen me pregnant, she must have guessed I am using 6 dozen of those prefolds a year for something.

Please do not hold your breath waiting for Toys-R-Us or Babies-R-Us to stock actual AB stuff. They figure the tiny increase in sales is not worth the negative reaction of conservative customers or negative publicity.

For this reason many years ago Gerber sold their adult vinyl pant factory in Three Oaks, MI to the employees because they did not want bad publicity. That factory operated for many years as VIP.

BTW, in California all businesses selling medical equipment, garments or supplies needs a state license. This includes sellers of any kind of diaper. Thus goes the red tape starting your store.

[froggy]

I rarely buy over $100 at a time, but they are online orders. I also have no AB furniture. I am not sure that an AB/DL store would get enough from me to remain in business. You need a good mailorder/internet business in addition to walkin business.

[ErinM]

An ABDL store wouldn't last long, especially in this economy. The first thing people stop buying when they are short on cash is luxury items. Anything ABDL is considered a luxury.

If you're dead set on making this business I would start out with online and mail order first. If you have enough interest and actually turn a decent profit where opening a brick-and-mortar store is possible, then go for it.

[wetnappyuk]

Sorry if I have missed it as I am positive its been covered or thought of:

daddybrian does everyone you know or related to know you are into this, and think of any potential love interest or friends as they will want to know what you do for a living. If they dont or you try and keep it a secret, they will soon know...