Adult book stores cater to some of the needs of adults, meaning they pamper the basic instincts of sex and - in some cases - sleaze. The reality is that adult books comprise a niche market of great fascination not only to young men and women, but also to adolescents and old persons alike.

Ask an adult book store owner and he will tell you that he sells books on healthy sex for normal persons and not just for sexual delinquents or dirty old men. Besides books on sex, these adult bookstores also sell gifts, novelties, toys, videos, DVDs, used and new magazines and other sex related material for fun and entertainment. These bookstores also cater to the needs of gays, lesbians and homosexuals, and so on. Most of these adult bookstores remain open 24 hours, while some take two hours break for the necessary clean-ups. To further whet the appetite of their customers some of these stores also have small theaters to preview the books that the customer may intend to buy.

Entry to adult bookstores is often restricted to persons who are at least 19 years old. In some states it is obligatory to show valid ID as proof of age before entering these adult book stores.

While providing legitimate fun and entertainment should not be discouraged, some adult bookstores degenerate into promoting illegal forms of sex, which just scares the healthy fun seekers. These places are sometimes creepy and utterly revolting and tend to become dens of obscenity, prostitution and crime. Unfortunately, it is difficult to draw a line between healthy sexual entertainment and perverted sex. Yet, going by the number of people who visit these stores, it can only be concluded that their popularity is on the rise.