1818 W. San Carlos

Jack's is the first and still the finest shop of un-cellophane wrapped pornography in San Jose . . . according to one long-time San Jose resident.

Jack's Smoke Shop has been here since the 1930's. Originally focusing more on tobacco products than pornographic movies and magazines. A few dusty cigars in a small glass cabinet provide a nostalgic brush stroke to the past.

The proprietor is friendly enough, though store policy did not allow for "in store" photograpy. A shame, because the walls are covered with the mounted heads of animals and, on one wall, a sailfish. The combination of stuffed heads and adult magazine covers is an eye-opener. The animals were slain by the original Jack.

Jack, now retired and living on the Mexican coast, was an intimidating man who would slam rolls of quarters on the counter-top to disturb his customers from their reverie.

Jack's has been at constant war with its neighbor, an over-priced antique store plagued with the parked cars of Jack's customers.

Trying to get "into the spirit," I purchased a Playboy magazine (Sep 1996) with a feature of Uma Thurman at the beach.