Stockroom.com, the oldest online adult toy retailer specializing in high-quality BDSM gear and Fetish wear, has acquired San Francisco-based Stormy Leather, a leading manufacturer of distinctive fetish clothing and toys.
Stormy Leather was founded in 1983 by Kathy Andrew, who operated “like a crazed elf in a leaking basement” (On Our Backs) on an antique sewing machine in the original Sanchez Street basement location. The business later relocated to the American Industrial Center on Third Street and then to its current location at 1158 Howard Street, where the Stormy Leather Retail Store opened its doors on May 5th 1990.
In December of 2002, Stormy Leather was purchased by Peter and Chrissy Grieco of the Florida-based Eurotique, who continued building the Stormy Leather business until this year when they decided that it was time to retire from the business. In January of 2007 they approached Joel Tucker of Stockroom.com to talk about selling the Stormy Leather to the Stockroom.
Tucker says, “They were looking for a “good home” for Stormy and its staff. Our two companies have been doing business together for about 15 years, and Pete and Chrissy told me that when looking around the industry and thinking about where that good home might be, they saw The Stockroom as the best fit. They didn’t want to approach anyone else until finding out whether Stockroom would be interested. Naturally, we were. We had actually looked at Stormy 5 years ago before the Grieco’s acquired the company. We weren’t quite ready then, but we are larger and stronger now, and it seemed like excellent timing. So a deal was made.”
Eurotique will remain with the Grieco’s in West Palm Beach, Florida featuring the Stormy Leather product line. The Griecos issued a statement saying, “We wish Stockroom and Stormy Leather the best, and Stormy could not be in better hands.”
Although Stockroom.com has been a steadily-growing organism since its founding in 1988 by 21 year old college student Joel Tucker, the company “definitely seem to be experiencing quite a growth spurt this year” says Marketing Director Juli Crockett. Prior to the Stormy Leather acquisition last week, Stockroom.com was already expanding its manufacturing with the debut of its Kinklab line and the acquisition of Syren Latex. The company also launched the redesigned Stockroom.com website last year, offering a host of new user-friendly features, as well as an All Male version of the Stockroom site, GayStockroom.com. Last but certainly not least, Stockroom.com’s long-awaited affiliate program launched early in 2006.
As it did with the Syren acquisition of 2006, Stockroom.com is bringing the entire Stormy Leather production team on board, and also plans to renovate the Stormy Leather retail store. “When Stockroom.com purchased Syren, our design team performed a makeover on both the store and the product line which breathed new life into the company,” says Stockroom/Syren latex designer Jeff of LA. “Reinvigorating the Stormy image will involve the same strategy of carefully redesigning the store and selectively editing and adding to the product line that we exercised with Syren Latex. The renovated Stormy store will not only be more aesthetically
pleasing, but visitors will find it easier to shop.” High-quality merchandise and superior aesthetics will be a key focus, as it has always been for Stockroom.com.
Stockroom.com owner and founder Joel Tucker states, “I am happy and excited about Stockroom’s acquisition of Stormy Leather. These are two complementary enterprises, each with a long history of positive community involvement and industry leadership, and each founded upon similar values.”
“Stormy is actually five years older than Stockroom, having been founded in 1983. Both businesses have been pioneers in the industry in their own ways. Stockroom was the first adult toy company on the internet, and has always been an all-around leader in terms of service, value, marketing, manufacturing, and efficiency. Stormy has an impressive history in leather/specialty retail, and excellent design, especially in its lines of products made by and for women. Both companies have had a long-standing commitment to quality product, community involvement, education, and ethics.”
Before & After
To clear out the store for the renovation, there will be a huge “Before” blowout sale beginning on April 20th (yes, 4/20) and ending on April 30th at which time the Stormy store will be closed for renovations until May 15th when the doors to the new, improved Stormy Leather will open and the “After” sale will begin. The Grand Opening play party & fashion show is scheduled for Friday May 18th at the Stormy Leather retail store.
Skin Two once cited Stormy Leather as being “possibly the best fetish store [they’ve] ever seen”. The SF Bay Guardian 27th Annual Readers’ Poll voted Stormy Leather “Best Leather Shop”, just as the company turned 18 years old at the beginning of August 2001. And now more than twenty years after its creation, Stormy Leather has been voted “Best Women’s Leather Store” by the Society for Human Sexuality several times. Stockroom.com intends to maintain and refine the award-winning history of excellence customers have come to expect from Stormy Leather.
Tucker is also pleased to be spending more time in San Francisco. “This acquisition also gives me all the excuse I need to spend a lot more of my own time in San Francisco, and I am looking forward to that. The whole Stormy Leather staff seems to be excited and supportive about the new direction, and I am enjoying getting to know them better.”
