Big 👁️ Eye

Big Eye was an adult video store in Albuquerque, NM off the Pan American Freeway that runs parallel to the 25 that closed permanetly in late 2023. The earliest review I saw for it goes back 16 years on Yelp! though I'm not sure of the exact year it opened. My guess would be the late 80s or early 90s. Just had that feel about it.

It was one of the few adult bookstores (as they used to be referred to) that had arcade booths in the back area you could rent for a set period of time and watch movies in. And do other stuff that wasn't mentioned explicitly, of course.

I write about places such as these often in my erotic work. In D for Danielle this store in particular serves as an inspiration for one of the settings early on in the tale.

This post is to give a little look into what Big Eye was like when it was still around as it has since vanished from our plane.

What the store looked life before the last remodel.

How it looked after the remodel.

Just before the pandemic they made an effort to promote live dancers. Their social media presence never gained much traction, however. Places like these are usually considered dirty secrets for their clientele. Not many opted to publicly like an establishment of this nature. Big Eye did make an effort to be seen but few wanted to be seen there.

Not that I cared! Here I am outside the Big Eye way back in 2012. Definitely excited to go in and check out what was on offer that evening.

Celebrating at Sidewinders off of Central Ave AKA Old Route 66 in ABQ later that evening.

Before the remodel it sat vacant for awhile and the car dealership next door took advantage of the parking lot for their excess inventory.

 After the remodel attempt the store closed up and became a hotspot for crime. Here are officers on the scene making sure no one is inside before the site is prepared for demolition. (Photo courtesy ABQ Raw)

What the street entrance looked like on Google Maps in an archive shot. 

  Recently after the demolition 😔

Big Eye had its ups and downs over the years but provided a necessary place for sexual explorers to enjoy solo, as a couple, or in groups. These sort of third spaces are becoming more and more rare as our world loses its magic. This post serves a testament to its existence and the fact I visited it so many years ago while it still thrived.

Maybe the magic will return to our world one day in a different form.