BOYSTOWN — Bachelorettes take note: Batteries Not Included closed Sunday, but it'll be back in Boystown soon.
The adult gift and party store, 3420 N. Halsted St., will reopen in a smaller Halsted Street storefront within the next couple of months, owner Gabriel Limonez told DNAinfo Chicago.
David Long opened Batteries Not Included 18 years ago this month at Halsted and Newport before selling it to Limonez in May, he told DNAinfo on Monday.
When he heard about the closure on Monday, "I was heartbroken to hear it happened so quickly," the former owner said.
Long moved from Chicago to Las Vegas five years ago, and keeping up with the business from 2,000 miles away was "difficult," he told Windy City Times at the time. While still living in Las Vegas, Long said he keeps up with his former employees and heard the store was struggling to pay rent.
"Business in Lakeview is becoming really difficult," Long said, citing The Alley's upcoming closure as another sign. "Things are just becoming more upscale, and [Batteries] isn't an upscale store."
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With the Internet offering more privacy and one-click ease for the potentially awkward purchases, it can be hard to keep novelty stores afloat, particularly for small business owners, said Long and building owner Mitchell Zamost.
"It's been there a long time, but people aren't buying dildos and lube in stores anymore," Zamost said. "Nobody buys DVDs."
Affording rent during the winter months — historically a slow season for Batteries — was indeed "difficult," Limonez said. Moving to a smaller location was "a good business decision," he added.
Rent has tripled since Long came to Boystown in the 1993, Long said. Some landlords have taken to sectioning off properties to make spaces for micro-businesses more affordable — particularly in pricier neighborhoods like Lakeview.
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Limonez said Internet sales didn't have as harsh an impact on his business as it might seem. The expertise and last-minute convenience of a brick-and-mortar store was enough to keep the business afloat, but the space was the wrong fit for the amount of merchandise he offered. He's hoping instead to find a new spot next to a Boystown bar or restaurant and give Batteries Not Included a fresh start.
"Adult stuff is pretty intimate, and [customers] want to see it in person. They don't want to read a long article, and we explain what other options are in the store. You don't get that looking at a product list online," Limonez said. Plus, return policies on adult toys are expectedly scant online.
Create a comfortable environment for customers is also part of why Limonez wants to stay in Boystown; it's important to him that customers in the LGBT community have a place they feel welcome to explore and ask questions.
Long "said it was really important he sold to someone who was gay or very gay friendly so we could continue to serve the community," Limonez said. "He felt the same way I do."
Revamping his own website and boosting Batteries Not Included's social media presence will also help with sales, Limonez said.
Long certainly hopes so.
"Gabriel a wonderful guy, and he's got big dreams," Long said. "Hopefully he'll be able to make a go for it in another location."
The now-former Batteries Not Included storefront is available for lease through Zamost's firm, Aljack Investments. The 1,400-square-foot storefront, three blocks south of Addison Street, is next to Chicago Male salon and near the Chicago Diner and Beatnix.
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