Boudoir [ boo-dwahr, -dwawr ] noun: a woman's bedroom or private sitting room.
Noir [ nwar ] adjective (French): black
Like a woman’s boudoir and the things she does inside of it, the history of our store is full of passion and allure that have pushed the envelope since our inception.
Back in 1994, two friends, Tim and Josh, realized that something important was missing from the Fort Wayne scene and decided to make a change. Tired of driving hours each way to find and purchase the music, books, and fashion they desired, the pair decided to take matters into their own hands and bring these items to the conservative Fort Wayne market. They opened Subterranean Music, Books and Fashion.
Just a year into business, and with help of their friend and employee Amy, Subterranean Music, Books, and Fashion launched a whole new collection of products: sex toys. The last sex shop in town had been shut down as part of a political agenda a few years prior, so this filled the void of a forgotten market hat Tim and Josh still believed to be alive, well, and powerful.
At first, the sex toys that Subterranean offered were located in just a single closet. After a slow public response at first, the Subterranean clientele began to show curiosity and support for the adult entertainment options provided. The storefront quickly expanded in size to include an adult room.
In just a few years it became clear that the quickly-expanding adult room was outgrowing its space once again. It was moved to a whole new space within the building under a fresh, new name: Boudoir Noir.
At Boudoir Noir, the walls were lined with leather bondage gear, lingerie, toys and magazines — all things that you can find both in store and online today — but we weren’t done growing. In 2000, Boudoir Noir moved to our current home at 512 N. Superior Street.
In 2005, Boudoir Noir expanded to Evansville. Tim purchased an established shop called Exotica Superstore and rebranded it to Boudoir Noir’s Exotica. Boudoir Noir opened a second Fort Wayne location on Coldwater Road in 2011.
Things weren’t all smooth sailing for Amy and Tim. Over the years, Boudoir Noir faced opposition from conservative groups throughout the city and state. They haven’t let that stop them on their mission, though. They’ve learned to thrive through the pressure and to this day, are focused on their greatest mission: Enlighten Human Sexuality through Education and Empowerment.