In the summer of 2021, we moved to our new home at 1727 Barrington Street! We continue to be in love with our new space and hope you will come visit us at the shop, this page goes over some logistical and accessibility details you may want to know about our physical space.
Our new space is more accessible than our old location, but many of our accessibility plans are underway and not yet complete. We are providing some detailed access notes to give you more information for the time being, and we will update these accordingly as things change.
Masking Requirement: we are still a mask-mandatory space. We continue to require masks as part of our commitment to limiting the spread of infectious disease and to protect our staff and community members. If you do not have a mask, we have free disposable masks you can put on when you arrive (they are fun and pink!). There is a basket of masks hanging on the outside of our door, as well as a box inside the front door. If you are unable to wear a mask we ask that you shop online or order for local delivery/pre-paid curbside pickup.
Public Transit: We are located on Barrington Street between Prince and George Streets. The nearest bus stop is directly across the across the street from us, with a flashing crosswalk at George Street, and traffic lights Prince Street. There is also a north-bound bus stop a block away by Prince Street. We are two blocks south of the Scotia Square Terminal.
Parking: There is free street parking outside our shop weekdays after 6pm, and 24-hours on weekends. Many of Barrington's cross streets have metered parking between 8am - 6pm weekdays - there are pay stations about every two blocks, or you can use the Hot Spot app.
Storefront: Our storefront is dark teal colour. Our name is above our door in pink lettering with 4 pink light fixtures. You can also identify us by the pride flags flying on either side of our entrance way!
Entrance: We are in the process of getting an automatic door installed. Currently, we have a doorbell situated against the window to the right of the door, inside the doorway, with a black and gold sign that reads “please ring bell for service”. Occasionally our doorbell has been damaged or stolen, so please give us a call or message us on Instagram if you arrive at the store and cannot find the doorbell.
The door itself is made of wood and is about a medium heaviness, and has a hydraulic mechanism that shuts the door automatically. The door opens into the shop and the door handle is on the right side of the door when you are coming from outside. There is a basket hanging on the outside of the door containing masks. If you did not bring your own masks, please put one on before entering the shop.
There is a ramp to get into the shop, however there is a raised threshold that is a barriers for some wheelchairs. When our new door is installed this raised lip will be removed. We sincerely apologize for this barrier and are working to resolve it.
Inside: Our space is brightly lit with high ceilings and spaced out with few obstacles. When you first enter the space there is a table about 6.5 ft from the door, with some disposable face masks and hand sanitizer.
Our sales counter is 38" tall and has a plexiglass barrier along the customer side.
Our products are displayed at different height levels, some of which require a stool or ladder to reach. Our sales team is always happy to reach anything that is too high or too low to grab comfortably.
We have music playing as a background noise at a volume that allows customers to feel their conversations are not being overheard. Generally this is a medium volume through the week, and higher volume on Fridays, Saturdays, and other peak busy times such as sales and Pride.
All of our lights are on dimmer switches, and can be adjusted if necessary. We normally keep them turned all the way up, but the lighting is not fluorescent.
Washroom: We have a customer washroom at the back of the store, that we are currently working to make more accessible. Currently, the light switch is about 47 inches from the ground, and there is a grab bar installed to the left of the toilet. The washroom is quite wide. The sink in the washroom right now does not have space underneath to allow for driving under, but we are working to replace this with a more appropriate sink. We are also working to add a grab bar to the back of the toilet. The toilet is taller than average, with the seat at about 18.5 inches off the ground. The door of the washroom is manual but light, and stays open without being pushed or pulled.
Sensory Friendly Hours, Sundays 4-6pm: We hold sensory-friendly hours every Sunday between 4-6pm. We put on chill music at a softer volume, overhead lights are dimmed, and scented testers are removed from the sales floor. We put a sign outside our door asking customers shopping during these hours to speak more quietly and help us maintain a more low-key vibe in the shop.
If you would like to arrange a sensory-friendly shopping experience outside of these designated hours, please email us at halifax@venusenvy.ca in advance of your visit. Please note that at peak times such as Fridays and Saturdays, or during sales events or Pride, we may not be able to accommodate customer requests.
Workshops: Most of our workshoips and events are hybrif in-person and virtual. ASL interpretation is available for all workshops and events, please email rachele@venusenvy.ca for more info!
Other notes: Though there is an age restriction we have to follow regarding buying sex toys, people of any age are more than welcome in the shop. Youth 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
We are a dog-friendly business! Sometimes we even have treats :)