Lover’s Lane

I admit, the negative reviews scared me off a bit and I was really hesitant to go to this location. But it’s very close to my home and I decided to give it a try. I found some great products and the staff was helpful, knowledgeable and very nice. They were quick to help when I asked but otherwise gave me space. I would not hesitate to go back. This is a great shop!

I am really disappointed by the lovers Lane in Skokie. I went there in search of a toy for my friend and my first vibrator. I am not experienced with sex toys so I just picked one that wasn’t super expensive but looked like it could get the job done. The sales lady told me that the vibrator I chose was horrible and kept trying to up sale me into another brand. After I declined her offer, thanked her for her opinion, and told her I was happy with my selection she told me she refused to sell me that product. Then continued to show me other products from the same company as before. She was making it very obvious that her boss instructed her to guide customers towards that line. After 15 minutes of her convincing me, I finally broke and got one of the products she suggested. The first time I used the vibrator it was great. Then I went to use it again and it stopped working. I tried new batteries and everything, nothing worked. Now lovers lane has a no return or exchange policy so I had to take time out of my day to mail it back to the company for a new one. Then I got my new one and the same thing happened again! It worked one time then broke. Although my sales associate was friendly, I am very upset that she refused to let me but the vibrator of my choice. I wasted $ 50 on nothing.

My visits to Lovers Lane have been more for the customer service, and then the product was second. Every time I have visited, I am blown away with the friendliness and courtesy that the staff exudes. I have never felt hounded, in fact, the one time I visited without a purpose, I was asked if I needed help and when I said no, I was left to browse. I am so impressed with the professionalism of this company, I have even tried to work here part time when my present company had started to cut hours. I can’t even imagine the work that must go into setting up some of the displays I have seen in the front windows. I did learn, however, that this was left to corporate to design and maintain.
All my life, I have had to deal with my sensitive skin. This would include having to attend my first junior high school dance in 8^th grade with a large patch of eczema on my back, right up at the top just so my dress wouldn’t cover it up. Perhaps it was to make up for the fact that I never had problems with pimples or acne on my face. My most recent visit to Lover’s Lane was in order to address my newly discovered allergy to latex.
Of all things to figure out late in life, my allergy had gotten worse over the years. The last straw was when I finally realized I had a severe allergy by sticking a latex bandaid on my arm, and it took over two weeks for the redness to go away. I even thought the nurse was kidding when she said to expect it to take that long. Overwhelmed, I discovered not only that latex was an issue; but also what kinds of ingredients were used in personal lubricants. All around I was completely frustrated. Pun intended.
I was greeted by Elizabeth as soon as I walked into the store. Right away I poured my heart out and told her what was going on. I had searched all over the internet and honestly there wasn’t clear information regarding what lubricants were compatible with polyurethane condoms, or if it even mattered. I felt like I was constantly getting redirected to different sites which addressed completely different issues. I had spent a lot of money experimenting with different lubricants before recognizing that trying to cut corners financially would not be an option.
Elizabeth was able to direct me to an all organic water-​based product which would work with the condoms and toys. This is what I love about Lovers Lane. Once Elizabeth helped me find the lubricant I needed, she then asked me if I needed anything else, which I did want to browse on my own for a moment. After watching me, she did notice that I had stopped at a display where my lubricant was featured with other kinds of products made by the same company. Elizabeth was very polite and approached me in a matter-​of-​fact manner where she introduced me to the rest of the line of products.
I was completely thrilled to discover that my lubricant could be purchased, in the same amount, with the entire line of products for a fraction of the cost of purchasing all of them separately. She was able to up-​sell me by about $ 50. It wasn’t about Elizabeth making me spend money, she honestly uncovered my needs and closed the sale. I even got a free toy for my purchase, and it happened to be exactly the one I was looking for. I have always been impressed with every Lovers Lane location, but especially this one in Skokie. I do think they are a little pricey at times, but it’s worth it because their sales associates are well trained and educated about the products they offer. This is what you pay for and it is totally worth it!

I must say. I was very impressed with the staff and selection at this Lovers Lane. I was pleasantly greeted by a sales associate, who was incredibly friendly and helpful. She assisted me from the time I walked in, all the way through checkout. She showed me products, and was very informative in explaining how things worked. She never once tried to push anything on me, and was so helpful in showing me what I was looking for. I will definitely be back!

There are better sex shops, for certain, but this place attempts to be the classiest and it shows… esp in the prices!

The staff is very polite and professional. The store is classy considering the product. I highly recommend!!!

One of the most helpful selling techniques I ever learned was from my ex-​manager, Chris, back when I worked at Metropark. I was so baffled about how I could ever a $ 300 pair of pants, until he told me that the art to be successful at selling expensive clothing is to not push the customer into buying anything, ever. Instead, give them space and be genuine when you talk to them. Make them feel comfortable, rather than pressuring them to buy. Never let them feel obligated to buy something for stepping in.
Let me tell you, this place does the exact OPPOSITE and this is the reason my girlfriend and I will never ever step into this location or any other location.
Let me explain…
Firstly, we have been here twice — both times just as bad.
We step in, and immediately they are breathing down our necks (almost literally…) pitching random sales, looking at every item we pick up and saying, «I like that! You should buy it. I have one myself.»
They give you absolutely no space to browse and look for what you need.
The first time we came in, my girlfriend was looking for some lingerie. We ended up overpaying by a lot for some cheap ass outfit that they wouldn’t allow us to see. My girlfriend won’t even wear it, and of course, no returns or exchanges on it.
The sales associate was so certain that this outfit will not disappoint, hyping it from every angle possible.
On top of that, the whole time she kept tossing in random items, completely irrelevant to what we were looking for.
To end it all, I left my girfriend’s site for a second to browse, only to find out my girlfriend got hustled into buying some kind of perfume. Even after she bought the perfume in guilt, she was still getting bombarded with «Buy this, buy that, you should get two». Finally, I stepped in and simply said «No», and we left.
I was very upset with the whole experience, but I like to give two chances.
So, we came back today. Boy was it a mistake…
We came in looking for a school girl outfit, only to find the same sales people. Once again, they start bombarding us with the most irrelevant items. What do I mean by that? We said «We are looking for a school girl outfit», what does she do? Well, after we denied there cheap and overpriced bagged up outfits (not going to fall for it this time), she started pointing us to lingerie and corsets…
Is this girl serious?! After that, my girlfriend and I started giving them the OBVIOUS cold shoulder. You would think that would turn them off, but no sir. They were all over us like flies on sh*t.
We found a nice little over priced skirt. $ 25. I told my gf to just piece an outfit together herself. We didn’t want to leave empty handed at the end of the day, so we forked over the 25 for the skirt, no problem.
At the register, we started getting pushed to buy there $ 2 catalog. No thank you…
What I hated the most about this? AFTER my girlfriend paid for the skirt and was printed a receipt, the sales associate quickly mumbles under her breath «No exchanges and no refunds».
WHAT?! You’re saying this after the customer was rung up?
We had no intention of returning the item, but what if someone in the future gets ringed up and then hears that? How are they supposed to return the item then if you only stated your return policy AFTER selling the item?
Jee whiz… This place is terrible. Annoying employees, we felt EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE the entire time and ever after we left the premises, most of the items (as stated before by users) is of extremely cheap quality and the items that are decent tend to be way overpriced.
Never again…

Epic.Bachelorette.Fail.
I hated everything about this Lovers Lane location.
1. Overzealous sales girls: They kept trying to get me to buy a completely cheesy bachelorette gift set that consisted of syrupy sweet smelling lotions, massage oils, and powders, cheap ticklers and obviously discounted lubricants. It seemed so contrived and neither sexy NOR funny, so I decided to pass. Once I say I’m not interested, I mean it, Sweetie. Don’t keep pressuring me to buy something that YOU think is a good deal.
2. Tackiness overload: You know those pleather hot pants with a zippered crotch you’ve been looking for and could never find? They’re at Lovers Lane. Along with the stereotypical nurse, school girl, working girl and other assorted costumey type clothes. I’m all for dressing up for your man, but the garb at Lovers Lane just looks cheap to me. Trash. Not class.
3. All of the bachelorette favors looked like they’d been sitting on the shelf for an eternity. In fact, many of them had crinkled, bent packaging. Come on now, Lovers Lane. No bachelorette wants to see that on her final fling before the ring! And if I’m being honest? Nothing too Earth shattering in stock, either. If I’m going to buy ridiculous party favors for a bachelorette party, I want them to be fucking inappropriate and hilarious. I found MUCH better quality and variety at the sex shops in Boystown.
On the plus… if I can even consider pluses for this store, there is a huge variety of toys that go buzz in the night, so no matter what you’re into, you can probably find something here to please yourself.
I’m just not into Lovers Lane.

Until I find another location which is cleaner, better arranged, and with a better selection of accessories I’m totally going to declare this my favorite store. They don’t have as much of a wardrobe selection as they do at the one on Harlem, HOWEVER! Everything else they have a better selection of. They even have wigs!
They have games, edible err items, even pheromones (which I think is ridiculous but I’m a little too creeped out to throw them on myself and see what happens either way) however if someone else had a story for me I’d totally be down to hear it.
Trying to point out all of the little things they have that aren’t obviously going to be in a shop like this, I have to recommend you come here if you’re looking for hosiery that’s out of the ordinary (I was looking for some really cute leggings that I failed to find at Victoria’s Secret and even Hot Topic, however I found sooo many here that were just perfect!) jewlery, toys, blah blah blah AND THEN!
The thing most worth mentioning was that I bought the most badass massage oil here for 18 dollars and it’s lasted me over a year. You heat it up, you massage. It smells INCREDIBLE. And I truly mean that they ALL do, but the one that in my opinion kicks the most ass is the «Libido» scent of the Shunga massage collection. They have a whole bunch of other massage things too that they can even sell you in a kit, but the prices DO add up and if you’re not careful getting smooth talked by the really friendly salespeople here, you may end up with a hole in your wallet! But really. It’s TOTALLY ALL ABOUT Shunga.