Posted on 08/23/2009 8:33:32 PM PDT by Coleus
Montclair might be one of New Jersey's more progressive communities, but even in a town known for its tolerance, a working fetish "dungeon" -- complete with a spanking bench, "interrogation cell" and stocks -- doesn't belong on the busy downtown strip. So says the township attorney in a decision that has bitterly disappointed Ed and Karen Dougherty, aka "Master Ed" and "slave Duchess," the owners of Dressing for Pleasure, a Bloomfield Avenue shop that sells fetish clothing and tools of the bondage-and-discipline trade, from flogs and paddles to masks and spiked collars.
For years, the couple hosted discreet "play parties" as often as three times a month in the store's basement dungeon, where adventurous couples acted out their master-slave fantasies on the rack, the bondage horse and the St. Andrew's Cross. Montclair code officials shut down the 2,000-square-foot space after an anonymous complaint in June. The Doughertys sought new permits to reopen the basement for "amateur theatrical and historic reenactment." Their answer came Friday, courtesy of township attorney Alan Trembulak, who ruled the dungeon must remain shuttered.
The decision prompted the Doughertys and their supporters to stage a rally Monday in the parking lot of the Montclair municipal building, while a Planning Board meeting went on inside. About 20 people showed up, some holding picket signs and others wearing leather and latex outfits, high-heeled wedge boots, collars and black-and-white striped stockings. One poster read: "End the hostility and prejudice against kinky people in law, in politics and in society."
Karen Dougherty, 30, called the basement facility a safe, out-of-the-way place for people to act out their fantasies.
"Because people don't have dungeon facilities in their house, they would use our facility to tie each other up," she said. "What we have is completely hidden underground. Nobody ever sees it."
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
Meanwhile, the same people are trying to shut down Gitmo.
New money. Go figure.
Meanwhile, real criminals continue to operate unabated. Glad to see NJ has its priorities straight.
There's something really hilarious about that irony.
Remind me to stay far away form Montclair.
No problem. Patrons of the shop need only drive a few miles further along South Orange Ave. and then ask if they can get some crack. The police or the gang members will gladly punish them.
Stay away from Montclair.
I’m sure the New Jersey town’s politicians wrestled hard with their consciences (and made sure there was no videotape of their escapades) before they reluctantly decided to shut down this typical Democrat place of business.
...
Karen and Ed Dougherty, 50, deny sexual contact was ever allowed or took place in the three years the downstairs club has existed. Up to 700 people have registered as members, and they were all screened through personal interviews or had someone vouch for them. Anyone who thought it was a swinger’s club was shown the door, Ed Dougherty said.
Shortly after receiving the e-mail, Montclair’s code enforcement, building and fire departments inspected the shop at 220 Bloomfield Ave., told the owners they did not have the required permits for the space and shut it down. In their applications for new permits, the Doughertys vowed no sex acts or sexually explicit behavior would be permitted.
The promises didn’t move Trembulak.
“They basically argued that this is a commercial recreation facility, and we disagree,” he said. “I’m not sure what I would term it, but we’ve only looked at this to make a decision to see whether it falls within the parameters of what uses are permitted in this zoning district.”
...
It’s a “progressive” area.
I remain unimpressed.
Hmmmmmm. I wonder if some of their ‘customer base’ comes from PMSNBC?
It’s probably where Demoncrats hold their political meetings and bill tazpayers for their membership dues.
there is a great theater there, however.
Enjoy!
;)
Great. So instead of being out in the open in a safe building, it’ll be moved to Craigslist and these parties will be held in where people will end up dead.
...”doesn’t belong”. Who made this desision? A PHOOKIN Mount Clair, NJ CZAR? Ohhh, no law against it! We just do it ‘cause, you can’t stop us!!!
...The drug Czar says, I can manufacture, sell, ingest, distribute, any drugs from the WH, because I’m above the law, no oversight, I answer to no one, and you can’t stop me, because we have all the guns! And they’re bigger than your guns! Don’t like it? Tough sh!t! Ohhhh, don’t try this at home, we have different standards than you peon citizens!!!
” Meanwhile, real criminals continue to operate unabated. Glad to see NJ has its priorities straight. “
I’m with you . Sounds like the owners had everything well under control not hurting anybody ( but themselves , willingly ) . What’s the problem , right ?
Unfortunately live in next town over....
Montclair aka Berkeley East has the same collection of
liberal whackjobs as San Fran
I think I agree with you.
So long as no laws are broken and all taxes are paid, why should the City care what goes on in that establishment? If liberals what to pay people to spank them, or if they want to tie each other up, or whatever floats their boat, so long as no laws are being broken who cares?
Has anyone checked to see if your president hasn’t set up a bondage dungeon under the Whitehouse?
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