The Book Store 1:36 a.m.

Funny, I don’t remember seeing many books. Dirty magazines are more like it, along with every sex toy or necessity you can imagine. In the back, 1,200 pornographic DVDs and about 800 video cassettes line the walls, making it a fine adult collection in downtown Akron.

The Book Store at Main Street in Akron serves the sexually adventurous. {larger}

Business is a little slow. An older couple is perusing the video selection while 26-year-old Dave Berkenstock, an employee at the Book Store, is giving advice about lubricants to the ladies at the counter.

“You’re going for the cheaper stuff, but it’s not as good,” he says. “This might be expensive but won’t get sticky on you at all.”

The women are in and out of the store in about 20 minutes, but Dave says most of his customers stay for one or two hours.

“Some people have to go through every movie before they pick one. Some people are really timid. Others just jump right in. Sometimes it depends on how much they had to drink before they get here,” he says.

“The craziest thing I ever saw was this 88-year-old woman come in here with her walker and ask for a vibrator for her and her sister.”

The name “Berkenstock” is German. Generations ago, a nobleman gave the name to one of his ancestors to honor his bravery during battle. I’d give him the award for being so brave in The Book Store, open 24 hours a day Friday through Sunday. I can only imagine what he sees.

“The craziest thing I ever saw was this 88-year-old woman come in here with her walker and ask for a vibrator for her and her sister,” he says. “You could say it caught me off guard.”

All this sex stuff is making me hungry.

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