Being a Gen-Xer, magazines and rented videotapes were the only source of porn when I first discovered the "secret stash" and what adult women looked like sans clothes. Even after getting married, for most of the 90's the printed publications were still the only way to see nekkid pictures.
Every now and then we'd go to the local adult store and buy a few (along with some toys) so I never felt embarrassed since my wife was with me and a lot of couples would shop there. Most of the mags were lesser known titles and contained a mix of women posing or couples together as this was before my wife admitted her bi-curiosity and I thought having some guys in them would make it more acceptable to her. We'd buy them to look at together and try to imitate the couples in the pics as well as giving her incentive to take some of our own. Admittedly, I'd also use them when I had time alone as it would take me back to those bygone days when my only outlet was a magazine and my hand.
There was one instance I still kind of chuckle about back when I worked in hotel security and we'd be responsible for items a guest left behind. The policy was any unclaimed items after a certain period would go to the person who found them with the exception of what was considered "contraband" which was obviously anything illegal but also included legal stuff like alcohol and pornography and they would automatically be tossed without even trying to contact the guest. In fact I witnessed a whole box of vintage Playgirls, that might have netted someone a decent some of cash, go into the garbage (they were so old in fact the ads for the "Record of the month club" had a choice of 8-tracks
).
Knowing this I used to have a deal with another employee that if I found alcohol I'd give it to him rather then turn it in and see it go down the drain, while if he found anything with nekkid people he'd let me know. Turns out one day he came across a whole box of magazines that were mostly published in the U.K. and it was like free international porn from heaven
. I still even have a few.
But overall since the availability of the intertubes to the masses, I haven't bought a magazine since about the late 90's or so nor paid for any source of porn since. Considering we buy any toys and adult products online and haven't even been in any of the local shops in many years, I wouldn't even know if they still sell magazines, although I would think there might still be a limited market for them. Admittedly there was something special about looking at nude women on a glossy full page picture on paper that pixels on a screen can never perfectly replace. But I'm just an old nostalgic guy I guess and while I haven't looked at the ones I still have in a long time, I also am reluctant to throw them out.
