38° P/SUNNY, SR sensuality shop stirs controversy
City says store violates ordinance; owners, customers of nearby businesses say Fourth Street location inappropriate
Last Modified: Sunday, October 5, 2008 at 6:52 a.m.
The opening of an adult sensuality shop in downtown Santa Rosa has launched an ordinance dispute with city officials and prompted protests from surrounding business owners regarding the store's merchandise and location on Fourth Street.
The city has warned the shop that it violates city rules limiting sales of adult-oriented products and must close unless it changes its range of merchandise.
The Spice Sensuality Boutique opened in late August and carries everything from lingerie and lotions to adult toys.
Boutique co-owner Chuck Freese said Saturday that he and his wife, Moira, provide women with a place to purchase intimate items far from seedy adult entertainment establishments. It is a small storefront on a business-lined section of Fourth Street, a few doors from Tex Wasabi's and Checkers restaurants.
The Santa Rosa couple opened a Spice Boutique in Rohnert Park nearly two years ago.
"Our whole image is to create a safe haven for people," Chuck Freese said. "Spice was developed for women."
In late September, the couple received a letter from the city informing them that the boutique, which initially had been listed as a lingerie store, was being reclassified as a venue selling adult-oriented merchandise and was violating city ordinances.
"There are a great deal of products which are within acceptable standards -- some are not," Mayor John Sawyer said Saturday.
In question are adult toys that replicate male genitalia. Spice sells various shapes, colors and styles of the banned merchandise.
Freese said he and his wife would be willing to remove the products from the store in order to comply.
However, he said, the complaints over the sensuality shop's presence on Fourth Street are at the root of the ordinance problems.
"We would work with the city, item by item if we had to," he said. "We never wanted to fight with the city."
"We went through the right procedure," Freese said. "In the business application, we stated that we were a sensuality shop and sold bedroom essentials."
City officials and the Freeses disagree on whether the type of products sold were clearly specified before the store received a permit.
Regardless of the initial understanding, Sawyer said the boutique would have to stop selling the prohibited adult items in order to meet city requirements.
A handful of business owners and at least 50 customers have complained about the boutique's presence on Fourth Street, said Nancy Riley, co-owner of SHE, a woman's clothing store next to the boutique.
"We've been trying to build downtown Santa Rosa to be family friendly," she said. "It is not the appropriate place to have that kind of business."
Chari Blackwood of Sonoma, a customer at the boutique, said she was comfortable shopping at the store while her husband and children waited outside.
"It's not lewd and lascivious," she said. "If it weren't for places like this, marriages would go bad."
You can reach Staff Writer Tracie Morales at 521-5274 or tracie.morales@pressdemocrat.com.
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Comments
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October 5, 2008 6:19:59 am
Yes, the bluenoses continue their centuries-old mischief. If it feels good, hide it or kill it.
In their upside-down morality, it is more appropriate to open a downtown nuclear arms store with some side dressing of automatic weapons and hand-held missiles.
October 5, 2008 7:15:57 am
When did rampant conservatism overtake this county!? First came Windsor and now Santa Rosa! People, you have a choice as to whether or nor you enter the store. If you don't like it, don't go in it. It's really that simple. They are not sitting out front waving "adult toys" around in your face. Is it that bad that parents don't want any form of sexual content to be exposed to their children. Walk away people, move on, forget about it.
October 5, 2008 7:37:46 am
This isn't about "Conservatism". This is about Capitalism. This is about following Hollywood down the only path left which will shock people, to appeal to their sexuality. Murder doesn't work anymore. Blood and guts don't sell like they used to. Marketing is all about T&A now. T&A during Prime Time, during commercials, in the mall, everywhere you look in advertising, T&A.
I applaud the city for rooting out sex shops from the city. Didn't have them when I was growing up and we managed to have exceptionally healthy sex lives. LOL But Liberalism appears to have worn all of you broken records down so that you love and support and condone sex in plain view of children now. Victoria's Secret? Isn't that enough that our children have to look at women in their bras and panties when they go to the mall? Now you're complaining because someone can't display D I L D Os in plain view of children?!? Liberalism has rotted your shallow minds, you clowns. Snap out of it before I have to come over there...
October 5, 2008 7:39:56 am
Gee I wonder what is in these peoples' closets?
Seems like some people will bitch about anything,probably would bitch if they got hung with a new rope! Get a grip people.
I agree with guardsman. BTW, Everytime I pass the adult bookstore it is packed full parking, even during the middle of the day, does anyone work anymore??
October 5, 2008 7:51:51 am
"Family friendly?" aren't there bars in the area? last i heard they don't admit children. Besides, a sensuality shop is not an adult bookstore. Check out the one in Sebastopol: women and couples predominate. They're called sex toys, for enhancing (legal) consensual sex. Try it yourself!
October 5, 2008 8:09:48 am
"When did rampant conservatism overtake this county!? "
In general it always has been farily consevative. But for the past few decades that was hidden by a patina of very vocal liberals whose hearts bled for every cause of the week. What is happening now is that those who are not ultra-liberal have gotten fed up with being called bigots, racists, homophobes, misogynists, and all the rest of the hate filled mantra that the O! so tolerant, diverse, and inclusive left throws at those who dare to disagree with the cause of the week. They have realized that the Bill of Rights applies to all of us, and is not the sole property of the left, and they are starting to push back and reclaim their right to be heard. In essence the complaints against this store are no different than those who protest a store that sells furs or a gun shop. Except that they are going through legal channels rather than throwing a near riot in the streets, blocking traffic, throwing fake (or real) blood on people, or calling for people to be killed. That said, I agree, let the market decide if this store will stay in business or not. Put the toys in a section curtained off from public view, only 18 and over allowed in it. Or maybe they could defuse the whole thing by putting up a few gay pride flags. That should make them p/c enough to stay in business.I have no doubt that some of those who are complaining about this store see themselves as staunch Christians. I would suggest that they read the Song of Solomon. And also get over the erronious (and heretical) Augustinian view of sex and sensuality.
October 5, 2008 8:20:07 am
First the ****e store has all the "intimate" products in the back in an over 18 area. Second the comments from the Mayor, are you kidding me. He owns Sawyers news where you can browse (10 minute limit) all kinds of HARDCORE porn. then carry you hardcore kinky sex magazine up to the counter next to my kids. HYPOCRISY!!!!!!!!!
****e doesn't even carry Porn!!! Has anyone been into Spencers in the mall. A place that attracts kids under 18. Well they sell Vibrators, and all kinds of sex related stuff. hum, sounds like selective enforcement to me. John Sawyer you lose my vote and those of my friends this year!!!!!!
October 5, 2008 8:29:59 am
Good point about Sawyers News. And, don't you just love the auto censor here? Can't even use the word "sp i ce" because part of the word may be seen as offensive to some. Can't use the name of the country that has Tokyo as its capital. Yeah, the joy of liberalism and its efforts to keep anyone from being offended by anything.
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