Tom Lynch

Usually XXX flicks are vanquished to the back of the store, but Earwax Café's new adults-only collection is up in front of the indie-rock music shelves. Call it hipster porn.

A thin twentysomething with carefully messy hair and tight blue pants eyes the red plastic barricade, stares at the floor as he walks, and opens the wooden door. There he is free to peruse lesser-known film classics such as "Military Men" and "From Here to Eternititty," not just the works of John Waters and Todd Haynes.

However, the film store in the basement of Earwax has always offered a reputable collection of vintage horror/semi-porn, from both foreign and American markets, so it makes the new upfront porno venture that much more of a curious move.

A phone inquiry about the sudden appearance of real T&A is greeted by a sigh from the clerk unlucky enough to answer this particular call. He replies that Earwax launched the adult-video section in April to bring in more income, a strategic maneuver borrowed from other mom-and-pop stores competing with corporate behemoths. "We're just trying to get by, man," he says. "We have a pretty good selection of underground stuff, but we don't have Blockbuster quantity here." Other independent video outlets, such as G & R video in Wrigleyville , have expansive pornography selections, and it's safe to guess that if the shelves weren't being explored, they would've disappeared by now.

"It's working," he says, when asked if their income has risen in the last six months. "Why are you asking all of these questions?"

Dial tone.

(2003-11-13)

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