Synthesis of Themed Space

SYNTHESIS

Stages in urban development, changes in social concerns and the transition to an increasingly symbolic economy can be traced in the development of Condomania, the nation's first condom store. The first Condomania store was opened in 1991 in Los Angeles. The time of its establishment was characterized by an emerging sexual revolution and also a growing awareness of HIV, AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Aside from economic interests, the founder of Condomania, Adam Glickman, also had genuine social concerns. Glickman wanted to establish a place, where people could learn about safer sex and feel comfortable talking about it, while also not feeling embarrassed about buying condoms. He wanted to remove the shame that had become associated with sex and condoms. To make this possible, Adam Glickman needed a modern setting with a liberal constituent. It made sense that such a business would be launched in the city on which modern urban theory is based. Ironically, Condomania didn't even have a place in the beginning. However, Glickman made enough money selling his condoms at Tufts to open the store in LA. Condomania became "nationalized" when Glickman decided to open stores in other major American cities- New York City, Miami and San Francisco. However, the original store, located in the Melrose district of LA, was closed in 1996 due to exorbitant real estate prices, typical in today's global cities, and Condomania.com was launched instead. It would, in any case, make more sense to customers in LA to browse products online than to take a 45 minute drive across the sprawl. In today's global economy, images play an important role in the growth of cities. They are possibly more important than the actual commercial spaces themselves. However, images and themes reinforce commercial spaces. For Condomania, the website acts as a store for an international clientele and also as a promoter for the stores in New York, Miami and San Francisco. In fact, the Condomania has become somewhat of a tourist attraction.

My group decided to focus on the Condomania store in Greenwich Village, or the "West Village." The store is located on Bleecker Street at West 10th, the quintessential neighborhood shopping street. Also located on this block are a few small, most likely expensive clothing shops, a newspaper store, accessory shops, and an antique and jewelry store. Directly across the street are a music store and a discount book store. Along the entire Bleecker Street are small cafes, restaurants, bakeries, delis, tattoo and piercing parlors and all types of specialty stores. The neighborhood generally represents a good mixture of interests and time periods. There's a dry cleaning place at one of the cross-streets that looks like it's been there since pre-War times and whose sign has probably never been changed. The neighborhood, however, has changed over the decades. Greenwich Village, once a place for immigrants and working class families, is now home to the young, single and well-off. Needless to say, the Village has been gentrified. Condomania occupies what could have been a small family-owned business. Real estate in the Village is high in demand.

Condomania is not cheap. Individual condoms supposedly range from 75 cents to $3.50. My group noticed that the average price of individual condoms at Condomania, sorted out in glass cookie jars, ranged from $1.50-$2.00. Specialty items are naturally more expensive. Flavored lube, for instance, costs $17 a bottle (for the larger size). Assumedly, the people who shop at Condomania can afford it. Tourists would probably get a big kick out of the "real man condom," which is made out of steel wool. However, the store does not ignore basic needs. A box of 12 standard condoms costs $12-$13 on average.

Condomania is not the only store of its "kind" in the Village. Other stores such as "The Pink Pussycat" and "Erotic Necessities" are located within blocks. The Village has always been characterized by a bohemian and liberal atmosphere, but the opening of stores like Condomania has contributed to the theming of Greenwich Village as a place for homosexuality and sexual liberation. Rainbow flags adorn the fire escapes. Advertisements for the new TV show, "Queer as Folk," decorate the bus stops. Stores selling S&M equipment are as common as the corner grocery store, if not more common. However, what is unique about Condomania is its mission- to educate people, especially young people, about safer sex. It's not a "dirty" place. Unfortunately, it has become associated with stores that sell pornography and other things that may be considered offensive.

There are "certain communities" who disapprove of Glickman's business. He stated himself that he regularly receives hate mail accusing him of being some sort of Satan. Condomania Online was accused of violating the Child Online Protection Act. Certain communities felt that it would be harmful for children and minors to have access to the "offensive material" on Condomania's website. The information and images provided on the Condomania website has been associated with the images and information one would find on a pornography site. Under the Child Online protection act, minors would not have access to the website and users would have to register to view it. If found guilty of violating the act, Condomania would also have to pay civil penalties of up to $50,000.

The evolution of Condomania reflects the evolution of commercial space. What started out a small business became a multi-billion dollar industry. Each stage in Condomania's development has been reflected in the space it has occupied, from the boutique in LA during the emergence of the sexual revolution to locations in other major cities during the economic boom, to electronic space in today's global economy. Condomania is one of the cutting-edge trends in urbanization in that it is so specialized it has become a theme. Themes, images and symbols have become so important in today's economy that physical spaces don't seem to matter as much. The Condomania store in the Village contributed to the theming of the neighborhood as a place for sexual liberation and acceptance. Its online store and online competition, such as Xandria and Good Vibrations, which use purely images, contribute to the theming of this particular time.

Sources:

Zukin, Sharon. "Space and Symbols in an Age of Decline". In Re-Presenting The City: Ethnicity, Capital and Culture in the 21st Century Metropolis. Edited by A.D. King. New York University Press, 1996.

www.eff.org/pub/Legal/Cases/ACLU_v_Reno_II/HTML/19990120_condomania_decl.html

Other information has been taken from articles linked to the Condomania website.

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	SYNTHESIS Stages in urban development, changes in social concerns and the transition to an increasingly symbolic economy can be traced in the development of Condomania, the nation's first condom store. The first Condomania store was opened in 1991 in Los Angeles. The time of its establishment was characterized by an emerging sexual revolution and also a growing awareness of HIV, AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Aside from economic interests, the founder of Condomania, Adam Glickman, also had genuine social concerns. Glickman wanted to establish a place, where people could learn about safer sex and feel comfortable talking about it, while also not feeling embarrassed about buying condoms. He wanted to remove the shame that had become associated with sex and condoms. To make this possible, Adam Glickman needed a modern setting with a liberal constituent. It made sense that such a business would be launched in the city on which modern urban theory is based. Ironically, Condomania didn't even have a place in the beginning. However, Glickman made enough money selling his condoms at Tufts to open the store in LA. Condomania became "nationalized" when Glickman decided to open stores in other major American cities- New York City, Miami and San Francisco. However, the original store, located in the Melrose district of LA, was closed in 1996 due to exorbitant real estate prices, typical in today's global cities, and Condomania.com was launched instead. It would, in any case, make more sense to customers in LA to browse products online than to take a 45 minute drive across the sprawl. In today's global economy, images play an important role in the growth of cities. They are possibly more important than the actual commercial spaces themselves. However, images and themes reinforce commercial spaces. For Condomania, the website acts as a store for an international clientele and also as a promoter for the stores in New York, Miami and San Francisco. In fact, the Condomania has become somewhat of a tourist attraction. My group decided to focus on the Condomania store in Greenwich Village, or the "West Village." The store is located on Bleecker Street at West 10th, the quintessential neighborhood shopping street. Also located on this block are a few small, most likely expensive clothing shops, a newspaper store, accessory shops, and an antique and jewelry store. Directly across the street are a music store and a discount book store. Along the entire Bleecker Street are small cafes, restaurants, bakeries, delis, tattoo and piercing parlors and all types of specialty stores. The neighborhood generally represents a good mixture of interests and time periods. There's a dry cleaning place at one of the cross-streets that looks like it's been there since pre-War times and whose sign has probably never been changed. The neighborhood, however, has changed over the decades. Greenwich Village, once a place for immigrants and working class families, is now home to the young, single and well-off. Needless to say, the Village has been gentrified. Condomania occupies what could have been a small family-owned business. Real estate in the Village is high in demand. Condomania is not cheap. Individual condoms supposedly range from 75 cents to $3.50. My group noticed that the average price of individual condoms at Condomania, sorted out in glass cookie jars, ranged from $1.50-$2.00. Specialty items are naturally more expensive. Flavored lube, for instance, costs $17 a bottle (for the larger size). Assumedly, the people who shop at Condomania can afford it. Tourists would probably get a big kick out of the "real man condom," which is made out of steel wool. However, the store does not ignore basic needs. A box of 12 standard condoms costs $12-$13 on average. Condomania is not the only store of its "kind" in the Village. Other stores such as "The Pink Pussycat" and "Erotic Necessities" are located within blocks. The Village has always been characterized by a bohemian and liberal atmosphere, but the opening of stores like Condomania has contributed to the theming of Greenwich Village as a place for homosexuality and sexual liberation. Rainbow flags adorn the fire escapes. Advertisements for the new TV show, "Queer as Folk," decorate the bus stops. Stores selling S&M equipment are as common as the corner grocery store, if not more common. However, what is unique about Condomania is its mission- to educate people, especially young people, about safer sex. It's not a "dirty" place. Unfortunately, it has become associated with stores that sell pornography and other things that may be considered offensive. There are "certain communities" who disapprove of Glickman's business. He stated himself that he regularly receives hate mail accusing him of being some sort of Satan. Condomania Online was accused of violating the Child Online Protection Act. Certain communities felt that it would be harmful for children and minors to have access to the "offensive material" on Condomania's website. The information and images provided on the Condomania website has been associated with the images and information one would find on a pornography site. Under the Child Online protection act, minors would not have access to the website and users would have to register to view it. If found guilty of violating the act, Condomania would also have to pay civil penalties of up to $50,000. The evolution of Condomania reflects the evolution of commercial space. What started out a small business became a multi-billion dollar industry. Each stage in Condomania's development has been reflected in the space it has occupied, from the boutique in LA during the emergence of the sexual revolution to locations in other major cities during the economic boom, to electronic space in today's global economy. Condomania is one of the cutting-edge trends in urbanization in that it is so specialized it has become a theme. Themes, images and symbols have become so important in today's economy that physical spaces don't seem to matter as much. The Condomania store in the Village contributed to the theming of the neighborhood as a place for sexual liberation and acceptance. Its online store and online competition, such as Xandria and Good Vibrations, which use purely images, contribute to the theming of this particular time.

	Sources: Zukin, Sharon. "Space and Symbols in an Age of Decline". In Re-Presenting The City: Ethnicity, Capital and Culture in the 21st Century Metropolis. Edited by A.D. King. New York University Press, 1996. www.eff.org/pub/Legal/Cases/ACLU_v_Reno_II/HTML/19990120_condomania_decl.html Other information has been taken from articles linked to the Condomania website. Back to Home Page