Tulip Toy Gallery

Why’s it so small? Hmm… definitely not what you want to be thinking when it comes to anything to do with sex. But ya, this place is a tiny box, so know that everyone in here will be able to hear everything you say. Every dirty little detail. I already have a big mouth, so this usually isn’t a problem, but I was uncomfortable with the raincoat dude in the corner staring at me while I discussed my needs with the staff.
They don’t have prices on anything, and the prices they quote don’t make much sense. My man and I decided on a fun little item, and they had three different versions, each totally different than the other, both in quality and extra features. We were quoted the same price for all three. We bought the simplest one for $ 15, only to find out later the retail price was $ 5.79. I was also steered away from the silicone lubes, and was told they would give me UTIs and that they were exclusively for men. I smartly decided to check in with my gyno, who confirmed this was false. So ya, make sure you froogle everything before you buy, and double check their advice if it sounds off.
To top it off, the girl rang me up wrong and didn’t include the Late Night Andersonville discount, but offered to give it to me the next time I stopped by. Of course, when I asked for a coupon or what I should do if she wasn’t there she told me to just show the person working my receipt, and tell them the whole story. Sure. At this point I realized I was screwed. So ya, being ripped off pricewise and then overcharged has knocked this place off my shopping list.

Lovely little toy store in quirky, fun, hip Andersonville.
Tulip has knowledgeable staff, a lovely selection of high-​end and affordable toys, and tons of extras like sexy, leathery floggers, pin-​up style lingerie, and– yes!– erotica.
They have an outstanding selection of sale items and, contrary to earlier Unilocalers’ experiences, I found most items to be regular ol’ retail price or a few dollars more– about the same as Early to Bed in nearby Edgewater. They also, however, have some excellent exclusives like Vamp dildos and leather products by local artisans. Best of all? Every purchase comes with a 20% off coupon, a nice incentive to get you back in and trying a new toy or stocking up on lube or your favorite brand of condom.
Parking is easy on side streets but beware of this community’s overzealous meter maids.

This place is still fantastic! I went in to look for a new lube and the girl running the shop that day was extremely helpful. I shy away from silicone because it doesn’t work well with my body. She was able to point me to a mixed lube that had 10% silicone in it. It’s a perfect match.

This place is not just a fun place to shop at, it’s quintessentially Andersonville. Fun, salacious, quirky, friendly, sexy, open minded, welcoming, positive, gay, straight, DISHY!
You can ask any question, nothing is too outrageous. The reason I like this place is that most of their uh, products, are SO well designed! The stuff they sell is not ugly, creepy, garish, vulgar crap — it’s gorgeous, sculptural, sleek, sexy, well designed objects that are actually all right to be displayed. Like, if you forget to put it away.
Come in here, and I guarantee you’ll say way longer than you planned. Chatting, fondling, dishing, laughing and flirting. A good thing. A Very Good Thing.

Tulip I’d like to say you smell like flowers but more like leather and vanilla.
Which is so much better!
I decided to play hookie and spend an evening in bed with my significant other, who thought we should take a trip to Tulip. The shop is adorable because it’s tiny to the point and organized. They make a lot of their own products such as candles and lubs etc. The service was one of the best I’ve ever had. Interactive, helpful, polite, and good looking never hurts.
Their book selection is great and they have sales almost every week.
The prices are pretty standard for your treasure pleasure needs.
As my partner and I left the store, bag in hand smile on our faces I noticed my gym teacher across the street! What a fun filled day.

I come in here every time I am in Andersonville to bring in those friends of mine who haven’t gotten to experience Tulip! Every single time I have gone in I have met nice staff willing to talk about the products. This store doesn’t have as much as the Halsted location but it’ s still a great little location. You can ask them anything and get great suggestions. I’ve come here for anything from Christmas presents to little somethings. ;D
It’s nicely decorated and a great place to come if you want to take a step forward in your relationship and try something new, regardless of whether it’s with your girlfriend or your breaking up with your hand. Totally unjudgemental vibe, which I can’t say for my experiences with Early for Bed.
As for the prices, yes there are some expensive toys, but there are some affordable things too. Apart, some of the toys come with guarantees. Nice! Think of it like an investment!

The new beau took me here for a little birthday surprise. While I enjoy a people watching trip to the sleazy joints off the highway in Wisconsin, when it comes to buying, I’d prefer the gentle environs of a store where I won’t be ogled by dirty old men, leering at me over the sticky pages of dime store novels with titles like «Corporate Slut.»
Tulip had a nice little selection of toys, books, dvds, and other goodies for straight boys and girls, gay boys and girls, and all the people who fall somewhere else on the sex spectrum. There were some futuristic vibrators that were way too expensive, but seemed like the space age answer to evenings of lonely boredom. Oh Santa…
I found some birthday goodies, and the sales guy was extremely helpful, personable, and not at all shy. I wish they had a larger selection of sexy undies, but we can’t have it all.

In Mid-​October, I ventured into this store location with my friend who was visiting from out of town. She is an «adventurous» girl, and expressed to me her desire to go to a «really good sex shop» where she could stock up on some items before her road trip with her boyfriend.
I believe the person working that day was named Lauren and she was absolutely helpful. She was not uncomfortable with our questions, she had personal recommendations, looked up questions she did not know the answer to (which was one), and helped make the experience pleasant and normal, however deviant it may be to shop at Tulip.
This is a great location.

To be clear I do recommend checking out Tulip.
Over the last 2 years I came to dislike going into Tulip. I’m a guy and being there, even with my girlfriend, I frequently felt unwelcome. Hey, even I can enjoy the right thing in a good place sometimes, right? The staff used to be (except once) rather unhelpful and not particularly nice.
Maybe it’s the summer weather, but over the last few days they have been wonderful. My girlfriend and I finally picked up a bigger item we’ve been looking at for a while. When I asked about a dildo in the ½ price bin I was informed it was $ 23. The next day when I went back? $ 35. I mentioned this to the (different) salesperson and she changed the price back, no hassle or anything. Thank you!
I’ve had issues with their slightly pricier fare, and the staff sometimes seems aloof (which can actually be good at times). However, their approachable attitude lately is sure to bring more people around.
We felt comfy enough to flip through some «experimental» books, try the lube, and have a smile together. We finally felt comfortable with our neighborhood sex shop and to these customers that’s the most important thing, so your mileage may vary.
Overall: Thanks for the great experience!

Bzzzz Bzzzzz bzzzzzzzzzzzz bz, sorry I was speaking vibrator. Sex shops are FUN!!! Dildos, french ticklers, whips, oh my! Ok yes I can make this entire review sound dirty in your head, just give each line a thought and I’ll give you a hand if you need it.
It’s a really small shop but packed (no pun intended) to the teeth (again no pun intended) of sexual play things. A fairly LARGE selection of sartorial splendor of dildos, I call it THE WALL OF WIGGLERS (you have to say it with a Monty Python voice to get the affect). An area for wHips and feathers, a small (this world has nothing to do with me ;), so anyways) selection of book and videos, and finally a whole rack of slip and slide lube (which apparently you’re NOT supposed to play with… I made a mess. sorry hehe). The STAFF is great, not at all pretentious as some of the other shops, very knowledgeable and I kind of know someone who knows someone who works there so it’s like I get V.I.P. (no, not that tv show) treatment.
Don’t get me wrong I like toys but I just wonder if they can make more to appease a straight man. This shop is really for women, women with NEEDS or least a back up for THOSE needs. Prices are ok too. Keep in mind they have a Lakeview location as well. They have a great website, check it out!
Some history per their website:
Tulip opened in 2005 in Chicago, Illinois. The company was conceived at the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business, where the owner began developing a business model and marketing plan. «Europe is ten years ahead of the United States in mainstream sexual well-​being. Where the European equivalent of Walgreens is selling these items at the local drugstore, the U.S. consumer is left with seedy sex shops and ordering online from less than reputable websites. We want to change that,», says Tulip’s owner.

I am sad to see Tulip get so many iffy reviews, as I think it’s great.
The one time me and the Boy went to Early to Bed, we were really really uncomfortable. No one spoke to us, and we were just kind of stared at. I definitely felt like I was being judged for being there with my boyfriend.
Tulip is, in my experience, a much more welcoming atmosphere. Nice, knowledgeable staff, GREAT selection, and plus they had cute vintage-​inspired lingerie (which I happily splurged on). Plan to go back again real soon. :)

Tulip is one of those «classy erotic toy shops» Not at all like the pr0n stores back home (e.g., The L’amour Shoppe… it was a rite of passage to go here and buy anal beads on your 18^th birthday)((that was a joke… no, really))
Tulip is tiny, but well stocked. They have a great selection of toys, books (with pictures!), and lubricants… and the sales staff are always friendly and very helpful… sometimes, maybe a little too helpful, I kinda like to keep to myself when purchasing things that will be _​inside_​me, but thanks!
They have a varied selection of merchandise to appeal to their GLBT and straight up kinky clientele… my favorite was the deluxe stuffing kit… you really want to kill the horny buzz of your over amorous date, explain stuffing to them ;) Kills it dead.

Positives:
1. They have a large selection of toys, vibes, etc. Most of said items are out so you can touch them with your hands and get the feel of them before you buy them and do naughty naughty things with them.
2. They have a small but decent selection of books on sex and fetishes. You are allowed to peruse the books if you so please.
3. They have a small selection of adult video. This is great if you want porn but don’t feel so good walking into a store that specializes in adult video and such.
4. The staff is generally friendly and knowledgeable, and every member of the staff that has ever been there when I have walked in has been female. This is great if you are a female that feels funny about buying a vibrator from a fella.
Negatives:
1. Their prices are really high. In some cases, a price at Tulip is near twice that of the same product at Early to Bed or the average somewhat to very seedy porn outlet.
2. Sometimes there will be a «Back in 5 Minutes» sign on the door, but no one will arrive after I’ve been standing outside for upwards of 20 minutes.

This store is actually better stocked (um, no pun intended?) even though it’s much smaller than Good Vibrations in San Francisco. Imagine that!
Ridiculous amount of vibrators, a whole bunch of «sex decks» (cards) to choose from, tons of «kama sutra» stuff (powdered honey), etc., etc., etc. And, super friendly staff.
Worth checking out!

The staff is super-​friendly and knowledgeable. The shop is small, but the selection is everything but– mostly women-​focused, but their men’s selection is pretty good as well. I have never felt uncomfortable in here, which is great, and I feel like they are knowledgeable about their products and are willing to suggestive (dirty!) sell as well. They carry a basic $ 15 slimline vibe as well as the pricier models ($ 100+) so there’s definitely something for everyone.
I will say that they overcharge a bit for their products, but most of the time it’s less than 10% higher than you’d find online… personally, I’d rather be supporting a local, non-​sleazy toy store than saving 10% online, but that’s just me. It’s a worthy addition to the neighborhood and it’s provided me with hours of fun in more ways than one :)
NB: I’m rating this as non-​accessible only because it’s a shoebox. Honestly, the selling floor is probably about 20×20 and the displays are fairly large. They do have a wonderful website though which I would recommend to anyone interested. (
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I visited Tulip’s Andersonville shop twice. Once alone to pick up a quick gift for a friend and the second time with a bi male friend of mine. Both times I/​we were the only shoppers in the store.
The store:
1. It’s pretty; a feast for the eyes.
2. They are pretty women friendly (focus is on women, toys are mostly out of packages), but some of their porn is really misogynistic. And I’m not just saying it because it’s mainstream porn. It’s like they pick their toys carefully but their books and movies seem to be stocked without previewing.
3. The selection is decent but their prices are higher than Cupid’s, Pleasure Chest or Early to Bed’s.
The Service:
2. Either I was completely left alone (not spoken to at all), which isn’t necessarily a bad thing or I wasn’t spoken to, but the staff was cleaning the shop right up in my personal space, standing on the display tables to hang art, etc. It made me kind of uncomfortable, like I would be interrupting their loud conversation if I had questions or that they were watching over my shoulder.
2. They couldn’t figure out how to give me my money back after they forgot to process a coupon I brought in… so they told me it was either I don’t get it or I could pick out something that would be around the price of the money I would have gotten back.
Bottom line: I’d take my business elsewhere.

Who doesn’t love dildos? They’re like stuffed animals with balls. That’s certainly the case at Tulip. They’ve got big ones and small ones, colorful ones and fleshy ones, hard ones and stretchy ones, some that looks like dicks and some I couldn’t figure out. I got the rabbit and the butterfly and the bear with the fish in its mouth, but the one that looked like R2D2 confused me.
It’s a woman-​centered shop (I’m not sure if it’s officially feminist or not), so there are plenty of strap-​ons — including one with a holster, just in case you need a spare dick — and some fun and festive whips and floggers. They have a selection of books and DVDs to use for ready reference — the day I was there, they were pushing the «Bend Over Boyfriend» series (no pun intended) — and a nice lineup of lubes, with plenty of testers. For the boys, they now carry the Fleshlight, though you may need to buy accessories online. It was nice to see it live. They also had the biggest buttplug I have ever seen, and I’ve seen my share.
The store is small and a little cramped, but that was not a problem on a weekday. The salesperson was friendly enough, but fairly new, so she didn’t have a lot of answers. But she encouraged everyone to try the lube, which was nice.

This place is fantastic I just wish it was a little bit bigger. I felt a little cramped while browsing but only occasionally and usually I was too busy looking at the merchandise to really notice.
The person working yesterday evening was very nice and helpful. She knew what book we were looking at even though she didn’t come over and look at it with us. Then again I did mention this place is small and she probably has good eyesight. She was also knowledgable of all the other gizmos and gadgets she had in the store.
I think this place could be an excellent sex shop. I had wished it was a little larger and a little more inventory. I did notice they were lacking in anal beads…

I disagree with previous reviewers in knocking the staff. I believe they are quite knowledgable about the toys they sell. They’ve helped me on numerous occasions by describing all of their products thoroughly and suggesting other products within the store. The prices for their items are very competitive.
They have two locations — this particular one is located in Andersonville. It’s a great space. They sell a lot of neat Fun Factory vibes, books, novelty items and stuff for males. If you make suggestions as to what they should add to their store, they will look into it and most likely purchase it for the store. Each item sold there has a tester, unlike a lot of the sex toy stores on Halsted. You can see it out of the packaging and see if it’s worth a buy.
The store is nice, clean and sophisticated. Support local businesses and buy your sex toys here!