Pullman welcomed its first adult novelty store last month, a locally owned Adam &  Eve outlet.

Store Manager RJ Murphy said the store has seen endless support from customers and the community since it opened its doors on Feb. 8.

The opening process was a whirlwind, Murphy said. In order to get the building ready, the employees had to convert the old office space to cater to the red and black theme of the company. 

“We had to bring all the product in, get the prices on ourselves, get all the product up,” they said. “It was just a lot of fun.”

The store caters to people of all sexualities and gender identities. Murphy said it also caters to all generations, not just the college crowd. 

Adam & Eve holds products such as lingerie, bondage gear, fetish gear and adult novelty toys, Murphy said. The store also has supplements, pins and plugs. 

“We’re told our selection of lingerie is the best in the area,” they said. “We get a lot of college girls that come in and are so excited.”

Murphy said they love working there and tell people it is a great experience. 

Sales Associate Avari Merritt said they were excited when Adam & Eve opened because the closest one is in Spokane, so they applied for a job at the store as soon as they could.

As a sales associate, Merritt works directly with customers to ensure they find the products they want. 

“You have to really enjoy the job, or else you’re just going to feel uncomfortable, and the guests can definitely tell if you’re uncomfortable with what you’re talking about,” they said. 

Merritt said the interaction they have had with customers has been great, and they feel lucky to have so many excited people walking into the store. 

Murphy said the store received a warm welcome from the community when it first opened. 

Chamber of commerce members came in to welcome them to Pullman, they said. Customers came in to express how excited they are to have a store like this in town, as well as excitement about not needing to drive to Spokane or Coeur d’Alene for certain products since the only other adult novelty store in the area is Eclectica in Moscow.

Multiple customers have even called after going to the store to say how much they loved the products employees recommended, Murphy said. 

“We’ve gotten repeated comments on how much our employees make them have fun and make them feel comfortable and have some great education to offer to follow it up with,” Murphy said. 

Murphy said they have been sex-positive their entire life, and the topic is something they have been studying in school.

They have worked in stores previously that have sold novelty goods, which helped them have an appreciation for the way Adam & Eve approaches sex-positivity, they said.

Murphy said the store puts effort into making sure customers are educated and are having positive sex education, and it helps with safety, comfort and consent. 

“[The company is] very on top of bringing sex-positivity into light, not keeping it as a backroom type idea,” Murphy said. “We want this to be a positive, fun experience for all.”