Chi Chi LaRue’s to Open Second LA Store

By on February 12, 2019

West Hollywood, CA – Multi-award winning retailer Chi Chi LaRue’s is proud to announce the opening of a 2nd store on the east side of West Hollywood. Chi Chi LaRue’s Circus will open at 8230 Santa Monica Boulevard in the historic and legendary Circus of Books location. For decades the world famous Circus of Books has been a source of nostalgia for many gay men who entered through the saloon doors in search of porn, cruising, sex toys, lube, poppers, books and magazines.

The store originally opened as Book Circus in 1960. The Mason Family acquired the store in 1982 after the original owner allegedly used his porn profits to support his cocaine habit, snorting his way to eviction. Part of the fame of Circus of Books was its’ location directly in front of the notoriously cruisy gay spot known to this day as Vaseline Alley. All to be detailed in the forthcoming CIRCUS OF BOOKS, an intimate portrait of the store and the Masons and their journey to become one of the biggest distributors of hardcore gay porn in the United States. Their story unfolds through the lens of their daughter, filmmaker and artist, Rachel Mason.

The new Circus will marry the upscale and fun aspect of the existing Chi Chi LaRue’s and the history of Circus of Books. A new addition to both stores will be the exciting new Tom of Finland store-within-a-store which brings even more history and the unique shopping experience of Tom of Finland.

“Both stores are getting a little lift, plus we are expanding our concept and looking at other manufacturers that mesh with our brands to do pop-ups or long term store-in-a-store concepts.” Says Rob Novinger, C1R owner.
The January 2019 AVN Awards honored Chi Chi LaRue’s West Hollywood west location at 8861 Santa Monica Boulevard as Best Boutique Retailer. Chi Chi LaRue’s is the retail arm of C1R.

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