For over 32 years, The Ram Bookstore has acted a bit like a restaurant, with carry-out and dine-in operations. The front part is a retail shop filled with items - euphemistically called "marital aids" - that can be purchased and used at home: condoms, lubes, aromatics, sex toys and gadgets, magazines, "instructional videos" (a euphemism porn DVDs), and other interesting products like Sphincterine™, the mint-flavored anal douche. The "dine-in" section is represented by the back room video arcade: an easily navigable maze of booths - some with video screens showing instructional videos (no tokens or quarters required) and some with mysterious "holes of glory" - that allow for the immediate gratification of horny patrons who plunk down $15 for self-satisfaction and/or discrete fellowship with others.

Not just content with these popular "dining room" menu offerings, The Ram is now presenting an enhanced after-hours environment on weekends that includes a dance floor and live entertainment with go-go boys who will be able to take it ALL off. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights will feature live DJ sets (starting at 3am) with the likes of DJs Freddie Bain, Ron G and Plez. Augmenting the music will be lighting effects, a fog machine, and yes, more instructional videos shown on two large screens. The theater space will also host an "Amateur Strip-Off Contest" every Thursday with Miss Gina as emcee.

The after-hours is the brain child of General Manager Jeff Shand who noticed that many of the late-night weekend patrons were coming directly from the dance floors at area nightspots. "Many of them want to continue dancing in addition to cruising around the video arcade looking for some fun," he said recently. "Adding a dance floor just seemed to make sense."
Given the popularity of The Ram (it hosts up to 1,000 visitors each week) and the uniqueness of these new "menu items," there's a good chance that Shand has hit upon a winning formula to ensure that The Ram is just as popular and thriving 32 years from now. Then, the BOI article in the year 2041 will read "This Is Not Your Granddaddy's Adult Bookstore."

The Ram Bookstore
3511 N. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL 60657
773.525.9528

Retail Section: Open 24 Hours.
Video Arcade / Theatre Area: Open Sunday - Wednesday: 9:30am-6am; Thursday - Saturday: 9:30am-7am.
Entertainment: Amateur Strip Show w/ Miss Gina: Thursdays @ 3am; Live DJ Sets: Thursdays - Saturdays @ 3am - 7am.