Sex shops in Anchorage

Because of our geographic location and smaller population compared to other “big cities,” there aren’t many sex shops in Anchorage. I know quite a few people that order their toys and lingerie online, and that can sometimes be a cheaper alternative. However, I enjoy the instant gratification of my in-person purchases. So I decided to hit up different sex shops around town and compare them to one another.

For two of these stores it was my first time actually visiting them, so it was a really fun experience to see what they had.

Starting with arguably the largest shop in town, The Castle is located on 5th Avenue across from the Merrill Field Airport. I had always passed by thinking it was a dingy, sleazy place that mainly catered toward an older demographic — solely based on the location and outside appearance — but I was pleasantly surprised.

One of the first things I noticed when I first walked in was that they ID’d me the moment I walked in the door. This caught me off guard a bit since I hadn’t been ID’d for any of the previous stores I visited — Spencers and The Look.

Cindie’s also does this and I think it’s because the two of them are chain stores, so the rule is more of a corporate thing rather than a law thing.

I was also caught off guard by just how much variety was actually available. Size wise, it’s probably the biggest store in town, so it makes sense that they would have a much bigger selection of items to choose from.

I was taken aback by their selection. I would say that they have more fetish-centric sex toys and items, rather than the typical role-play costumes and props that are associated with that kind of stuff.

One thing that really separates them from Cindie’s and The Look is the amount of toys and items they have that cater toward men. Aside from the fact that there's about two or three aisles that have more male targeted products, there’s a rather extensive collection of nude magazines and rather vintage looking adult films.

One of the cashiers that was working while I visited the store explained how it was mostly older men who bought those kinds of things, and that honestly checks out. But I still think that it’s an interesting inclusion and it’s one of the things that really separates them from the other two stores.

Overall, I think the store serves its purpose well. It’s advertised as a place for lovers, and based on the types of lingerie they sell — classy yet simple — the amount of different enhancements and aphrodisiacs they carry, and the types of toys, it achieves that goal.

The second store that I stopped at was The Look, which is located on Benson Boulevard beside Great Harvest Bread Co. — sandwiched between a piercing/tattoo shop and a cannabis store.

I had already been to The Look a few times prior to writing this article, so I had a general idea of what it looked like and what they carried. While visiting there, I had the pleasure of speaking to a woman named Trinity, who explained a little bit of the shop's history and gave me some insight into their consumer base.

The Look originally opened up in 1984 — three years before The Castle opened their location on 5th Avenue. As far as I’m aware, they’re the only locally owned shop in town and have an inventory that specifically caters more toward women and fems.

While they might not have as much lingerie as The Castle, they certainly have more extravagant pieces that could be used for shows, dancing, cosplays and more…elaborate roleplays? Trinity also mentioned how they carry more outfits and garments for drag queens and male dancers.

The toys also seem to be more focused on self pleasure, while the Castle and even Cindie’s has a much bigger variety of items that can be used for partners. Overall, I love that this store is really inclusive for people that work in the sex industry — whether that’s dancing, films, webcams, etc.

For anyone that’s into the punk/alternative scene and is eager to support smaller and locally owned businesses, The Look is definitely an amazing place to shop.

The third store I visited was Cindie’s. I remember first seeing Cindie’s when they opened their Fireweed location in 2023 but never really had the chance to stop by until writing this article. While I was there, I spoke to two women, Sara and Abby, who told me a bit more about the store. As I mentioned earlier, it’s a chain similar to The Castle and has stores in a handful of other states.

The best way I can describe Cindie’s is like a perfect blend between The Look and The Castle. It’s a much smaller, cozier store than The Castle, but they have a much wider selection of toys and sex products than The Look does. Much like The Look, they also have a lot more costumes, pieces, and toys that cater towards dancers and sex workers.

While the store does pander more toward women in most areas, their men’s section isn’t anything to scoff at, given the variety of rings, anal toys, and DVDs that they carry. They also have anime sex dolls and life-sized toys, which was something that I don’t recall seeing at the other two stores. I personally don’t like them, but I think it’s amazing that they cater to that niche.  

While this may seem like a given, one thing that I appreciated about all three stores was just how helpful and willing the staff were. Everyone is understanding, informative, and rather helpful in assisting people with finding what works best for them.

While The Look has the basics in what you need to start your personal pleasure journey, I think Cindie’s is a much better starting ground for venturing off into unfamiliar territory. The store is small enough to where you won’t feel as overwhelmed as you would in The Castle, but they have just enough stuff to expose you to the beginnings of entirely unfamiliar avenues.

All in all, each of the different stores provide something unique that the others don’t. There’s enough overlap to find some of the same products and brands in all three, but just enough variety to provide a completely different experience, which gives Anchorage some much-needed diversity in the market of adult novelties.