By Erin Engelson

Upon entering Sweet-n-Nasty on Massachusetts Avenue, customers are greeted by the sweet smell of cake and frosting. With closed eyes, this is any normal cake shop. But with eyes open, customers can find a penis cake wedged between the cupcakes and party favors.

“If I was planning a full-out bachelorette party, I would definitely go to Sweet-n-Nasty and buy like, the whole store,” said sophomore business major Christine Walker.

The store, located at the Newbury Street intersection, is one of two sex shops in close proximity to Northeastern.

Customers can pick up their favorite sex toys and satisfy their sweet tooth at the same time. Sweet-n-Nasty is a party planner’s paradise — the walls are stocked with plates, cups, wall decorations and birthday cards. But the erotic cakes and confections are the major attraction.

Condom World on Newbury Street is another one of Back Bay’s not-so-hidden gems.

The store is tucked away in the basement level on Newbury Street, underneath Newbury Comics. The walls are stocked with condoms, dildos and vibrators, including “the rabbit,” the vibrator made popular by an episode of “Sex and the City.”

At Condom World, customers can expect to find sex toys, naughty board games and, of course, condoms.

“We are very knowledgeable when it comes to condoms,” said the store’s manager, “Ma,” who runs the family-owned business.

Condom World has been in business since 1992 and attracts customers from many different age groups, social demographics and economic classes.

“Being in Boston, we attract all sorts of people — college kids, professionals, couples,” said employee Mike Morrison.

Around the beginning of the school year, Ma said a lot of parents come in with their kids just starting college. They want to give them a crash-course in condom use.

“I guess they want to come to the experts,” she said.

So famous is their expertise, Condom World is internationally-known, Ma said.

“We’ve had people come in from Tokyo, Korea, it’s pretty neat,” she said.

But Condom World doesn’t lack local appeal, either, particularly to students, said sophomore journalism major Craig Roman.

“Condom World is cool, and I think the people that work there are cool, too. They don’t judge people, I mean, look where they work,” he said.

The merchandise is a draw to students, even if simply for novelty purposes.

The pecker party tray, a phallic dish, offers an erotic option to normal food service.

“I think the novelty condoms at Condom World are funny. And the store is a lot less skeevy than other places, so I’m sure it gets a lot of business,” said Lauren Jefferson, a sophomore journalism major.

The store’s simple decor caters to its wide array of customers — as does its packaging.

“We actually get a lot of business people coming in on their lunch break,” Ma said. “A lot of them say, ‘Thank goodness you have plain brown bags because I have to go back to work.'”