Leather Sport

Leather Sport is a shell of its former self, and at best calling it a leather store is laughable. It used to be located down the street from its current location, and featured quality leather goods and knowledgable staff. Now it has been combined with an average heterosexual focused porn shop.
It no longer staffs anyone of knowledge from the local leather community, and nothing is custom made. Everything is pre-​fab and of questionable quality.
Word on the street is that the original owner passed away, and the store was taken over by a daughter who was uncomfortable with the local leather scene.
The owner should real drop the Leather Sport title and just go with Cupid’s Treasure. Leather Sport was once a great leather business and now it’s a joke.

I will strive to be concise in this review, but honestly I am irked. Again.
I have shopped at Leather Sport and Cupid’s on Halsted in Chicago’s Boystown for years. Until recently I have always LOVED both. In fact, both shops have always been a destination for my out-​of-​town guests, gay and straight alike. It’s just FUN! Well, it was…
First off, Leather Sport is consolidating their merchandise into Cupid’s as of today. No more Leather only shop. Disappointing, but I certainly understand. Times are hard and rent is high in the Windy City. It is my understanding that they have always been under the same ownership along with THE RAM. I can’t tell you about the RAM, I have never been. That is the real T. The fact that they have to leave that space is NOT the problem I have…
Here is my bottom line: Be nice to customers. Most of the time there are some nice helpful guys in L.S. including a sweet and hot Latino boy and a cutie-​pie with reddish brown hair and a newish mustache. YOU guys are cool and helpful.
But recently in Leather Sport (before the relocation started), my cousin and I were clearly just in the way of a snarky employee rearranging some jocks on the South wall. He asked us what we were looking for specifically (only because we were in his way) and when I said we were just looking, he completely stopped what he was doing, stood against the back wall and rolled his eyes at us. Big sigh, arms folded. Very dramatic for a jockstrap girl. As we were leaving the store (almost immediately because it irritated me so much), I turned around and *politely* said «hey, thanks». He just gave a me rude, blank stare. Nice way to treat customers, dawg. Your personality negates that handsome face entirely. Seriously.
Today, I went into Cupid’s in search of a few provisions for my gaycation… finding the door at Leather Sport to be locked up tight. The same handsome rude guy was there in the front at Cupid’s, loudly shifting inventory around in some boxes on the floor with a dirty-​ass look on his face. I inquired about the price of some lube I had purchased elsewhere before and was surprised to learn a 3.3 oz tube of it is 27 whole American dollars at Cupid’s. WHAT THE?!
I paid $ 9 at International Mister Leather (annual leather and fetish convention in Chicago) and it averages about $ 12 a tube in Boystown and elsewhere. TWENTY SEVEN DOLLARS for 3.3 lousy ounces of lube?
Sorry folks, I live here and I graduated.
I found the same product on Amazon for about $ 8. Stroke 29 By GUN OIL. Just for sexy solo time (not condom safe), a great product for dudes BTW. Again,
for that one.
I did settle on some WILDMANT undies that are cheaper at Cupid’s than anywhere else including online. When I said thanks to the cashier, she simply said: «You’re welcome. Bye» flatly. Hmmm. Shouldn’t I be the one being thanked? I’m sure that job sucks but I still deserve a thank you for ANY purchase. I just don’t think that is unreasonable of me, yo.
What has happened to service in this city in general?! It isn’t what it used to be a decade ago.
If that Handsome, shaved-​head, totally rude guy is a manager or heaven forbid an owner, he is in the wrong business. Even if he is just a sales associate he is not in the right business. Greet your customers. Be nice to them. Answer their questions and don’t EVER act like anyone [who might just spend some money] is in your way, they aren’t. They are customers. Sorry to get all «Pretty Woman» on your asses… but someone had to people.
Natalie-«Snookie» at Beatnix is a real cool chick. The cute glasses girl at Tulip was super sweet and we chatted, too bad I’m not a hot lesbian. The guy I have dealt with before at Batteries Not Included is a sweet teddy bear too. I know who gets my business in Boystown, and it’s not going to be Cupid’s anymore. Two bad experiences and they lose a loyal customer of 12 years. OOPS.
Forget Cupid’s. I just did.
Play hard and play safe all.

This place does not disappoint.
Nice selection of Leather and BDSM items. They need more latex!
They do have a very small clearance section which I aim for.
If your into BDSM or the fetish world, check this place out.
The staff is friendly and knowledgeable.
*spank u later*

To be fair, I can only give three stars because this really is not my bag, baby. But if you’re a guy who is into this you should keep reading…
During Market Days, my friend says to me «hey, I want to duck into this store and grab a few things.» Me? Well, I’m pretty open and don’t like to judge so I went in too.
Uhm…WOW!!! Leather, leather, leather. If you’re a leather daddy this is the spot for you. Some things that caught my eye were a few dildos the width of coke cans. Hey, I’m not judging. If you can handle that then kudos to you!!!
I decided to give my friend some space to make his purchases so I started chatting with the guy behind the counter who was incredibly sweet! A few minutes later I was walking out with a brand new pair of dog tags that said «Dom» on them. Oy! Mom would be so proud.

went in here to check out the riding crops. the sales guy at the resister barely turned around to even acknowledge that we came in. Though there are signs that say don’t go behind counter we had to because he didn’t budge to help us. needless to say, I didn’t buy anything and I don’t think i’ll be going back any time soon. I have to shake off the bad service first and for now I would rather pay higher prices elsewhere or online…

Now, at first, I was a little apprehensive to go in, but seeing how even more uneasy my friend was convinced me to definitely go in,
Jeff was working– he’s a big, tall, teddy bear. I don’t think I’ve ever met a nicer guy in a hardcore sex shop. We struck up a conversation and stuck around for what seemed like an hour. He was more than happy to explain what all the toys were for, how to use them, etc. Totally made me feel at ease, despite brandishing a snake bite kit (ask him what it’s for).
I’ve seen him around since and he still remembers me.
All in all, my first time in a hardcore leather and BDSM shop was great thanks to the friendly staff at Leather Sport.

Don’t let the very rough window displays steer you clear of shopping here — especially if you are in the need of a good spanking paddle shaped like a heart, or some industrial nipple clips.
Some of the more elaborate dress pieces can get very costly, but they do have a nice selection of affordable play pieces, and collars. I bought a rhinestone and leather collar here that is just gorgeous, and I wore it for my UIC ID picture.