Adult boutique owner raising eyebrows in Warwick / Video
4:44 PM Thu, Jun 04, 2009 | Permalink
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WARWICK, R.I. -- Trisha Smith, owner of the adult lingerie and novelty store that made waves in Portsmouth last year, is back in business and back to the traffic-stopping advertising techniques that put her in the spotlight. After being evicted from her Portsmouth location and then trying an unsuccessful stint as a 9-to-5 office worker, Smith this spring chose Route 2 in Warwick as the place to resurrect her store, Posh and Naughty. Using the "guerilla marketing" tactics that garnered so much attention in the past, Smith was outside the store Thursday in a skimpy spangled cowgirl outfit, swiveling her hips while she swirled a silver rope lasso over her head.  Tricia Smith, owner of Posh & Naughty, has moved to Warwick after being evicted from a leased location. She is advertising her business out on Bald Hill Road, just south of Route 113 in front of her store. Watch the video Providence Journal photo / Mary Murphy"What do they say -- desperate times call for desperate measures," she said. "Well, I'm a single mom of two trying to support myself. And if an income tax place can have someone parading up and down the sidewalk dressed like the statue of liberty, then why I can't be a cowgirl or a police officer?" Smith, 31, has both defenders and detractors. The store's arrival and her marketing techniques -- which earlier this week had her wearing a bikini while washing her car in front of the store -- has prompted some complaint calls to both City Hall and Warwick police. At the same time, she's getting a lot of applause, whistles and truck horns blaring from the traffic streaming past the store's location at 761 Bald Hill Rd. Smith acknowledges that she loves the attention, but said she also feels that having an "adult" store run by a woman is something that will make female customers feel comfortable and is also empowering in a primarily male-dominated market. "I'm not out there swearing or doing anything offensive," she said, marveling that some people will cuss her out while calling her obscene. "My store is not all closed down with blacked out windows. It's not a seedy little sex shop that people need to be frightened of." The front part of the store is devoted to costumes and gauzy lingerie, while the back wall is devoted to sex toys, adult books and a small stock of x-rated DVDs. CORRECTION: The initial post on this report at 3:58 p.m. incorrectly gave the location of the previous store in Portsmouth. 
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Giddy up.
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i think its a great idea, shes not selling herself, just her product, she needs to make a living, just like the guy in the chicken suit, or the goblins that do the same thing at the Halloween store in October for example. I'd go in there and shop myself, just cause of it.
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You go girl..!
Isn't this new economy all about small businesses?!!
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Rock on, girl. I'll give her shop a shot next time I'm in the market.
Projo, fix your link to her site!
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As a woman and a single parent myself, I'd like to open her second store! You go Trish, I wish I was out there with a lasso too! Don't pay any attention to the haters and complainers...we do what we have to do to make it around here.
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Good for her!
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What is wrong with that? She is not being obscene and she is not hurting anyone.
Girls wear much less at the beach! The girl at the nearby lemonade cart wears a bikini top.
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As a single mother business owner, I will recall our honorable governor saying that Rhode Island is a place to open for business. I will say that was not in this write up, this is meant to "empower" women, to be confident and make them feel good about themselves without the traditional adult store negativity. I am just being me, having fun. I was meant for showbusiness, not a 9-5 job, but certainly not on welfare. If it meant to dress up as a circus clown to drum up business, I would do it to support my family. I am grateful to those who have supported me and appreciate what I have to offer them. That does not make me a prostitute to educate and enlighten those who want what I have to give. I was told there is no such thing as bad press. I refuse to be a statistic. Rhode Island is in such a deficit, I am not octo-mom. Please give me a chance reach out to others while help stimulate the economy instead of taking from it.
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I wonder if her children are proud of what she is doing (or are they embarrassed).
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I have nothing against the store or what she sells. I am not amused when I am driving by w/my 8 and 6 yr old boys to see a naked mannequin with bright purple nipple tassles and a thong. Not OK.
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Bravo!
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Good luck!! That's exactly the attitude and drive this economy needs and this country was built on!!
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It's a real shame that in tough economic times, people are been knocked for showing initiative and entrepreneurship. I run a sex toys shop in the UK. We have to be as inventive as possible in order to keep out staff in jobs.
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Good luck lady. Just look out for the ever present weirdos!
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God bless She is working and paying tax let it go
good luck Tricia
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Good luck with the business. Thanks for paying taxes and keeping yourself and your kids off the welfare rolls.
to the person who doesn't want to drive by and see.....how bout when we all had to walk the mall...kids in tow....past Fredericks of Hollywood. At least in the car, they can't stop in front of the window, stare and ask questions!
Or spencer gifts shelves for that matter.
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I think you degrade woman so they are thought of as objects. Why not open a dress boutique for women and girls? Atleast you could have your children spend time there.
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