Stopping By Pasadena's Sexiest Shoppe

You'd think a lit sign pointing to a sex shop, especially at night, would be impossible to miss, but the place to which it belongs can sometimes get lost between the allure of an upscale burger or a dish of healthier Mediterranean fare.

But there it sits: Wedged between Umami Burger and Pita Jungle is the storefront of Romantix, a boutique that specializes in adult erotica and has been a mainstay in Old Town for decades. On any given night in Old Town, you can see people do a double-take at the lingerie-adorned mannequins, peer past the windows for a closer look, or casually stroll in with their significant other.

At the counter, one is likely to find store manager Charleen Guerrero, who deftly transitions from dishing out product advice ("Too many drops, and it'll start burning") to talking down a frustrated customer ("I can't take this if you don't have the box"). Standing in front of a wall of movies with thumping music providing the store's soundtrack for the day, she chatted with Patch for a few minutes.

What's the first thing people say when they come in?

"Oh, I didn't know you guys were here! A lot of people miss us, apparently. They ask, 'Oh, how long have you been here,' and it's the same exact answer -- 35 years, but we don't know exactly. We've been here as long as the pawn shop (Crown City Jewelry and Loan). We used to be known as 'Le Sex Shoppe', and we didn't take down the sign because I guess the city said it was part of history."

What's the busiest time of year for you guys? I'm assuming it's Valentine's Day. What do people ask for the most?

"That's correct, it is Valentine's Day. At that time of year, we get a lot of people, the majority of them men and couples. We get a lot of men coming in looking for vibrators for their wives ... pretty much most of the sensual things: pieces of lingerie, lotions, lubes, things like that."

What's the biggest misconception you think people have about the store?

"I think people are very surprised that we're clean. We're not one of those dark stores that a lot of people go into. The store overall has gone through a lot of changes after we took ownership. We had the arcades taken out, the city wanted those out, so that changed the valuation of the store."

Have you noticed people being more open-minded when they come in here, given the greater awareness of adult entertainment?

"Oh, yeah. I've been here for about four years, and I've seen the difference of people coming in, how they look at things. They are more open to talk to you ... you're going to get that shy person once in a while of course, but just based on the way our store looks, they are more accepting to it. What also helped was 50 Shades of Grey -- that helped a lot as far as the fetish aspect. A lot of people were just hidden about that."

What's the most expensive thing you have here?

"It's $359. And ... yeah, here it is."

I don't think I can take a picture of that.

"Yeah, that makes sense. Probably not."