Paperback Grotto

Even though most people get their pornography through the convenience and privacy of the internet these days, and the notion of having a local "dirty book store" is somewhat quaint and antiquated, I am very happy the Grotto is still in business. Why? For the simple fact that it's a slap in the face to the conservative, family-friendly image that DeKalb tries so hard to portray. It was even better in the 80's when the only thing that separated the community from the horrible smut that lay inside was some moldy, yellowing packing paper in the windows! And since Raph's Newstand closed, the Grotto alone carries the torch of being the premier smut-peddler of DeKalb!

I attended niu from 1998-2003 and one thing my husband and I loved about Dekalb is THE GROTTO!!! Yeah boi!

Ahhh ... the grotto. Where awkward college freshman go when there's nothing to do.

When I was still going to NIU, there were pretty much 2 things to do. 1) Eat some really greasy, really cheap fast food or 2) Go to Wal-Mart. Sometimes, an adventurous friend would come up with the genius idea of getting something pierced or visiting the Paperback Grotto, you know -- just to shake things up a little bit.

First, let me take a minute to bust a well-known myth. It does NOT cost any money to just browse the Grotto. You've probably heard that it costs one or two dollars to just set foot in the store UNLESS you have a girl with you. This is false. So suck it up, make sure you're wearing boner-proof underwear, and get ready to relinquish your innocence.

The store is pretty organized and pretty clean. Some places in Chicago reek of cigarette smoke, but this establishment is actually pretty classy. There's an assortment of products ... toys, dvds, literature for whatever you're into. There's also a couple of booths in the back where you can watch some boom chica wow wow ... but I'm not exactly sure about how that all works (i've never watched a clip there, not judging!).

So, if it's Saturday night and you've had your fill of Wal-Mart and Chinese buffets ... grab a friend and drive on over to the Paperback Grotto. It's a fun little adrenaline rush.