thePULSERachel Shuster
Located at 10 Richmond Ave. in Worcester, The O Shop is not your average “adult” store. “It’s an experience – it’s as personal as the client wants it to be,” said owner, Stephanie Ramey.
By day, Ramey is President of the Worcester Railers hockey club focusing on all sales, financial reporting, marketing and relationship development. Prior to the Worcester Railers, Ramey served as the Executive Director of Discover Central Massachusetts.
Ramey, also mom to three kids, is thrilled to open The O Shop and stretch her entrepreneurial skills. The shop opened its doors on July 10, but the story of how the shop came to be goes far beyond that.
“It stemmed from an article I read in a business journal about adult products trending during the pandemic,” Ramey said. “My best friend and I were joking and having a conversation about where you would even buy them beyond online. Online reviews tend to be articulated by men. That’s the last thing – a man telling you how to feel. We’ve been taught that it’s not ok for women to advocate for pleasure and talk about it. I want to change that.”
Ramey started thinking about physical locations. “There really wasn’t a place that made women feel comfortable,” she says. “It’s primarily women making these purchases, but retail outlets tend to be male oriented.”
Through her research, Ramey also began thinking beyond products, like lingerie, as it became clear that there isn’t a place in Central MA for a bra fitting outside of Victoria’s Secret. “That’s not always a comfortable place that makes people feel welcome or offers sizes that go beyond a double D,” she says.
From there, the idea snowballed. “It came to this point where I felt like I had this great idea and I had to make a decision,” Ramey said. “I went for it.”
The O Shop came together organically. “It was a lot of work, but all the pieces fell into place,” Ramey said. She began Googling how to buy lingerie wholesale, attending virtual lingerie conferences, met with a retail consultant, and was introduced to shop owners.
“I did a ton of reading and took health and sexuality workshops. I was fortunate to have my whole community and network of people support me and introduce me to different people and help make connections,” Ramey said. “I recognize where I am lacking information and will ask for help. I have been blessed throughout to connect with informed educated people. All our adult intimate items were curated by someone with a PHD in health and sexuality and I’ve connected with experts on social media to help. I’ve got a great crew of people that are advocating for the success of this business.”
The shop is meant to serve as a calming and comfortable place. “You’re meant to feel like you’re in a big relaxing closet,” Ramey said. “It’s not traditional retail space as it’s in an old Victorian apartment building, with chandeliers and amazing natural light. From the second clients step in, I want to provide this intimate, sweet, genuine boutique. It is important to take away any negative connotation there is around women feeling good and talking about their bodies and sexuality. Why is the idea of us feeling good, bad? This shop is meant to demystify things and make everyone say, ‘this is ok, it’s natural.”
One of the services offered at The O Shop is bra fittings. “We have bras and basic wear – 40 to over 100,” Ramey said. “It’s so important to have bra fittings to ensure that women feel good and confident. We take clients around the store and provide a curated experience. We help select items for them to try on – some of it isn’t things you even thought of, but that’s what we are here for. It’s a service and staff that’s attentive. We try to identify what’s best for you and each unique body.”
The shop also offers sexier lingerie, plus size and petite items. To ensure a special and unique experience, Ramey does small quantity orders for the shop and always has new items coming in.
Additional offerings include lotions, facial products, pasties, candles, loungewear, athletic wear sets PH balance lubricants, condoms, vibrators and more!
The O Shop also offers private events from bachelorette parties to events in partnership with nonprofit organizations. “We also plan to launch a variety of workshops for the community focused on topics like sexuality during and after menopause, introductions to products and more.” Ramey said. “It will be fun to watch the shop evolve. It has so many different layers.”
Ramey is proud to bring something new to Worcester that creates a place where people can feel good about themselves in various ways. “In Worcester, we’ve got this lively entrepreneurial spirit,” Ramey said. “The city is special in that we aren’t franchise heavy – we have small businesses that are destinations, and I want to be a part of that. With the O Shop, you’re getting an experience, service, expertise, and conversation. I hope that it becomes a destination for women and all people.”
The O Shop is operating currently with summer hours. Closed Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, 11am – 5pm and Friday 12pm – 6pm.
For more information, visit www.theoshop.com or find them on social media @theoshoponline.
