Banana Video

As an employee that has worked here several years prior, and am now employed here again, I can attest that previous employees were not the most friendly. I work mainly during the weekends, and for a smaller porn/​sex shop, I feel we have a pretty good selection of goods. Times have changed and so has the management, and we try to make it a point to greet all of our customers (no matter how strange you might be lol). I’m proud to call myself an employee and actually enjoy saying hello and chatting with the regulars who come in. However, being that it is the kind of shop that it is, there will always be the sketchy and undesirable coming in, so apologies in advance for being somewhat weary.
I, myself, enjoy talking about the latest toys and sexual stimulants that we carry, and will provide the best information I can to anyone who is interested. The other employees are the same, and know our products in and out, and have no problem with advising a customer against buying something that they feel is an inferior product. It kind of shocks me to read the reviews that have been posted on here from several years ago, however, not every store is perfect, and not every staff member deserves a gold star.
If you have any doubts, I’m there every Saturday night, and would be more than happy to answer questions, hear complaints, and let you in on some sexual secrets regarding our selection.
–Todd
PS — This is strictly a porn and sex toy shop. For some reason, google or Unilocal has us listed as a strip club hahahaha You don’t know how many phone calls we get regarding this. Also, the store is very much gay-​oriented, but we do have toys and goodies for the les/​trans/​bi crowd as well

It is not a place of equality. Period.
I wondered in with three gay boys expecting an environment similar to a boys town late night sex shop. I have never, and I mean never, experienced such blatant and painful sexism in my entire existence in the city of Chicago. As the evening went…
The boys trickled down one by one to use the restroom as we perused the selection. As I entered the door to go down to the restroom a lock initiated. The gentleman at the front counter instructed me to pay ten dollars to use the restroom. So, a laughed, joked, and said ‘really, that’s funny, sir?’ and he glared at me like a pile of feces on the pavement outside. He refused to let me use the restroom and when I asked him, «wait, everyone else used the restroom and you will not let me?» he snapped, «the women go outside».
Verbatim. No exaggeration necessary for his jarring words speak for themselves.
And still I thought, ‘he must be kidding? There must be a punch line to follow this statement, yeah?‘
But after an adamant recitation of «the women go outside, the women go outside» and a continually indication that I should leave as his only response to the disbelief in my eyes… I left.
I have been through the anti-​gay, sexist, racist atmosphere of our southern US while living in Quitman, Mississippi… Kimball, Tennessee… Paris, Texas… and this experience is like none I’ve had before.
An illusion of safety the gay flag is here; this video store is a complete fuck up. To find such a place with the equality symbol on their window is an atrocity that makes me, for the first time in my life, ashamed to be a part of the gay community in Chicago.

I have a hard time rating this place because I want to give it 3 stars for content (videos, toys, backroom, etc) but a –0 stars for the people employed there. They range from unfriendly to down right «shouldn’t have a job working with people». While I’m not expecting the red carpet rolled out, I would expect a «hello», «thank you», or even a smile. The only thing I get is a stare and a grunt. I don’t know, maybe they have to be unfriendly as to not show weakness to customers?

I have seen Banana Video’s sign for years and finally decided to make my way in. I’m sure the clerk saw three women walk in and knew this wasn’t going to be a profitable crowd. Still…
Strangers in a strange land that we were– we were treated nicely as we wandered the little store with toys sized so big that thinking about them still pains my lady bits, industrial sized containers of lube, gonzo-​style porn of twinks, trannies, and more!
We were informed that Banana Video has been around for 20 years. And even though I might not be the target demographic, I wish it well and hope it’s around for twenty more. We didn’t end up buying anything, but if I or anyone I ever know needs a lifetime supply of lube with a pump dispensor, (surely the most cost effective and handy way to purchase it?) I know a really friendly place to go.

Okay kids, it’s time for another journey into the heart of darkness that is Chicago’s underground gay community. If men touching men in unsavory ways makes you feel oogy, you are best off skipping this review.
The appropriately named Banana Video is located upstairs from Sofo Lounge, at the corner of Clark and Argyle. When you reach the top of the stairs, you’ll find the door is locked, and you have to be buzzed in. Yeah, it’s that kind of place. You won’t have to say, «Joe sent me,» but it can’t hurt.
At first glance, Banana appears to be simply a video/​DVD store, albeit one that features exclusively gay and bi porn. And yes, you can buy and rent porn here. Assuming you don’t have Internet access, I suppose. Or that you really want to catch the latest releases. You can also buy such accessories as lube, poppers, and dildos the approximate size and shape of a Louisville Slugger.
At the far end of the shop, however, you may note a turnstile, and one which does not lead to an exit. Instead, if you fork over 10 bucks, you can go upstairs to the video viewing area. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
The upstairs consist of a series of «private viewing rooms,» each of which has a TV tuned to one of three different movies. You can watch alone, or with a «friend.» Though in the latter case, you probably won’t see much of the movie. There is also a public viewing area, for those of you who get lonely by yourself. Opposite the private rooms, there are… Are you familiar with the term, «glory hole»? Well, there are a series of closet-​like enclosures, linked by one or two (on opposing walls) glory holes. I have no idea what goes on in there.
Banana is open until 2am (4 on weekends), for boys who need to clean their pipes before they go home after a night of drinking. I use the term «boy» very loosely. But by the time you get here, your standards have dropped sufficiently that it doesn’t matter. Quicker and cheaper than Man’s Country, with less of a chance of getting rolled.