34 | OutBoise Magazine | NEWS
OutBoise.com | Issue 5.2 | March 2015
The O-Zone!
by Laura Layton
Since 1997, The O-Zone (formerly The Rubber Rainbow) has
been compassionately and
enthusiastically serving the Treasure Valley with a vast selection
of personal products in a fun
and comfortable environment.
Located in what would have
once been the living room of a
cute, but nondescript converted
house on Broadway Avenue,
built before the area became a
business-zoned thoroughfare, it
doesn’t take long to start feeling
like a cherished guest in a good
friend’s home. And while it may
be tempting, don’t call The OZone a “sex shop.”
“It all comes back to your
health,” owner Caryn Thompson
said. “If your heart isn’t working right, you’d address that,
wouldn’t you? So I do this.” And
“this” is offering select sensual
well-being products for every
kind of person in any stage
of their life. “It’s just like losing
weight or men going bald. When
it becomes your focus, because
of course it’s been a big part
of your life, you’re willing to do
quite a bit to solve it.”
However, addressing one’s
sexual or intimate health needn’t
be explicit or kinky, as The OZone demonstrates. When you
walk into the front door, you’ll
see no strappy, patent leather
banana hammocks or hot pink
thigh-high stripper boots on
display. There are no rooms off
to the side that contain floor-toceiling rows of badly produced
porn or inflatable sex dolls, and
you’re not going to be able to
find any inhumanely large, rub-
ber fist-shaped dildos. If you’re
into those things, Caryn is absolutely supportive of that, and
may even have a tip or two
as to how to use and care for
them, but she and her business
serve a much different purpose
than what one might term a “sex
shop.”
Caryn’s main philosophy,
which is manifested consistently throughout every part of
her business, is: “It’s about our
health; it’s about exercise and
blood flow and endorphins. It’s
about a connection with someone else, you know, and there’s
some great products to support
it,” she said.
Offering a kaleidoscopic
range of sexual wellness aids
and fun, sexy products, The OZone stocks therapeutic vibrating massagers, in-house-made
massage oil candles, fun novelty
items to delight one’s besties
at their bachelor parties, and a
small, high-quality selection of
instructional sensual DVDs. Never
skimping on quality, they offer
an extensive array of dental
dams and toys, and – literally –
every kind of condom you can
imagine, ranging through every combination of size and fit,
diverse and little-known brands
as well as your trusty Trojans and
LifeStyles, to more adventurous
choices in texture, color, material, and even flavor.