The first sex shop in the world was opened in 1962 by Beate Uhse in the German city of Flensburg, Germany, very close to the border with Denmark.
The first erotic shops were opened in the middle of a "hostile" environment or, at least, little familiarity with this type of commerce on the part of the local people, in the context of more conservative societies and less open to discussing issues in public. of a sexual nature; For these reasons, these establishments tended to be somewhat hidden, sordid places or perhaps accompanied by the aura of being something "pernicious." Over the decades, both the products offered by erotic stores and their presentation and the establishment itself have changed and evolved.
The openness of Western societies, together with the advancement of technology and the study and development of sexology, has diversified the number of sex toys available on the market for both sexes. Although in the past toys emulated certain parts of the human body, today the shapes are not so explicit and give way to a new variety of sensations that conventional toys did not allow.
New generation erotic stores are conceived as more open, clean, colorful and well-lit places, with a decoration and presentation that may resemble those of a perfumery.
However, despite this more friendly aspect for the general public, the influx of people in the age group between 20 and 40 years old still predominates, although an increase in older customers is being noticed.