retail profiles // sexy // orange club wear

Orange Club Wear, both a retailer and etailer, originally started out as a lingerie business in 2001. Shortly after its debut, the retailer changed up its focus and is now known well among the dancers and strippers' community as offering great clubwear at reasonable prices.

"We realized that there are a lot of dancers looking for their business costumes and shoes," said Sebnur Jones, owner of the company. "After we began to be so popular, we decided to give our customers in the entertainment business more privacy, so we closed our doors to the public and became a one-stop shop stripper store."

In addition to operating the 500-square-foot Brooklyn location, Orange Club Wear also operates www.OrangeClubwear.com and www.PleaserTurkiye.com, both of which are updated on a daily basis.

The shop attracts Go-Go and topless club entertainers aged 21 to 60 from NY and NJ, said Jones, adding that traditionally, many of their customers are Eastern European girls.

Since her customers do not like to use the fitting rooms, men are banned from the store, excluding the bra-fitting specialist who works with Jones to help customers find the right fitting garments.

Jones' typical customers spend an average of $28 for a triangle bra and thong set and spend approximately $120 per visit.

"We do have a one-stop shop. From exotic jewelry to shoes, stockings to dresses, so the ladies don't need to waste their time going from store to store," said Jones. "We also have the largest platform shoes section in NY, so far more than 220 styles in stock. It is kind of heaven if you are a dancer."

Currently, the most requested items are styles Chic-40 and Allure-601 by Pleaser USA in addition to Leg Wraps by Body Zone, g-strings from Top Rock and "all kinds of stockings by Elegant Moments and Leg Avenue," said Jones. Additionally, Jones considers Pleaser to be the most popular brand at the moment and believes it will continue to be a leader in the sexy shoes category.
She describes her store as "cozy, warm and very private." Interestingly, Jones, along with her three employees, work under black lights so the customers can see their outfits under UV lights.

Additionally, the retailer welcomes a Russian trainer once a week that gives customers pole dancing lessons. "We are getting 10 to 12 different ladies in a week," said Jones. On days where the trainer does not come to the store, girls come in and practice between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. by themselves using videos. "We do not charge any money for that, but they all shop when they come, so it is kind of free advertising for us," she said.

Ultimately, Jones would like to sell her NY location by 2012 and open a new one in California.

— B.F.