A private showroom tucked inside a commercial building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is offering vetted customers the chance to inspect and touch life‑size sex dolls for a fee, according to reporting by the New York Post.
Customers pay a $50 deposit to enter the space, which features about a dozen full‑size dolls displayed on sofas and chairs in lingerie. The dolls, which the operator says weigh roughly 75 pounds or more and are made of silicone and skin‑like thermoplastic elastomer, can cost up to $3,000 each. The business is linked to a website called DollsYouCanTouch.com and has been operating guided visits since July, the operator told the newspaper.
The operator, a 46‑year‑old entrepreneur who gave his name as "Benji" and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he vets customers and reveals the showroom's location only to those who pass the screening. Visitors are required to sign nondisclosure agreements that forbid them from disclosing the venue's address, and the shop enforces a rule the operator described as "pants stay on." He told the Post he began working with life‑size dolls in 2021 after a breakup and found them preferable to dating apps and online pornography.
The showroom model places the product on display for prospective buyers and curious visitors to examine up close before purchase. The operator said tours are tactile, allowing customers to feel materials and assess build quality, within the venue's rules and privacy safeguards.
Prices, materials and the hands‑on nature of the visits reflect an expanding market for realistic human replicas used for companionship and sexual purposes. The operator declined to provide a full inventory list or the exact address to reporters, saying the privacy and comfort of customers are priorities and that nondisclosure agreements are intended to protect both patrons and the business.
The arrangement underscores a trend toward niche, private retail experiences that combine e‑commerce platforms with appointment‑only physical showrooms. By limiting access and requiring secrecy agreements, the business aims to balance customer demand for in‑person inspection with concerns about discretion and community reactions. The operator said he continues to vet potential visitors and to enforce the showroom's rules for conduct and confidentiality.