Adult Stores, Threatened With Huge Fines, Vow to Remain Open

Daytona Beach, Florida (CNSNews.com) - Several adult-oriented businesses are embroiled in a bitter feud with Daytona Beach, Fla. officials who have ordered them to shut down or pay a hefty price.

Three adult stores, XTC Adult Supercenter, The Banned Bookstore and House of Leather were warned to cease offering sexually explicit merchandise or they would be fined $1,000 a day. Four adult clubs have been given a harsher ultimatum -- cease and desist altogether or be fined up to $5,000 a day.

The dispute landed in federal court over the summer, with the businesses suing the city over ordinances which control where such adult-oriented businesses can be placed. Late last month, a federal judge ruled the city could not shut the businesses down, but could levy fines as it saw fit. City officials recently began issuing notices warning about the fines, which are scheduled to take effect this week.

"All they have to do is shut down to avoid the fines,'' said Mayor Baron H. Asher.

The business owners, however, are adamant in their refusal to comply. "The deadline is bogus," said Mike Piscitelli, an associate with Ellenton Video Inc., which owns the XTC. "We're aware of their ultimatum and we know that they can issue citations up to $5,000 a day. However we are absolutely never leaving this location, under any circumstances or conditions.''

Ron Krenn, owner of Molly Brown's I and Molly Brown's II, a bikini dancing club and a nude dancing club respectively, echoed those sentiments.

"We're staying open no matter what," he said. "This whole thing is a circus show. They think they're going to fine us out of business, but we're not going anywhere."

Krenn said city officials have gone as far as fabricating violations to drive him out of business. Molly Brown's I was issued a $2,500 fine for one its female entertainers showing too much skin.

But Asher denied the fine was trumped up and said the city intends to fight until the end.

"We don't intend to back off one iota," Asher said. "We are going to rigidly enforce our zoning ordinances and land-development codes. Period. Exclamation point."

Asher added that if inspectors can prove the adult clubs, which include two others named The Pink Pony and Lollipops, remained open between the time of the first fine until the code board's December meeting, each will face a $100,000 fine.

Did I say anything about banning anything? I never did. I just have a problem with having a porn shop in a neighborhood."I'll be the judge of what I think is "moral", what I think is a moral approach to life for my children, without relying on your belief system" Well gee whiz Einstein isn't that exactly what I just said? "Name calling" the only thing I said is you sound like a libertarian, wow thats horrible. When did I make an "accusatory attack" towards you? You just verbally threatened me "will get your teeth loosened at best"!!!! Wow your so tuff...I'm scared!!! Anyway you still didn't answer my question. Where do you draw the line on pornography since you don't have a problem with it? Maybe you should change your screen name to "Prozac Weekly"? Oh..uh...is that "name calling" better check with the PC police !!!!

Stop taking comments out of context if you wish to continue this! "Einstein"? I just let you know your idea of morality and mine may/may not differ. "Verbal threats"? You know where I stand, care to step outside? Hard to converse with a mental giant like yourself.
Anyway you still didn't answer my question. Where do you draw the line on pornography since you don't have a problem with it?You answered your own question slick. If I don't have a problem with it? It doesn't bother me that these businesses exist, why should it concern you so greatly. What is their existence doing to hamper your life? You don't like it, so that's enough. I don't have a problem with Gun Stores, I don't have a problem with Bars. Hell, we even have a local Tobacco Shop, that most evil of weeds. They are "Legitimate Businesses" doing legitimate business. If you have a problem with these kinds of businesses, the cure is to make it illegal. I'm sure if you thought you could do that you would. An approach to do so would probably enlighten you a bit as to how much you are in a minority opinion, or it would have been done long before you came onto the scene. I did have a problem with dallydo's taking the place of the Flag in some dirtwater town USA this past week. I find it rather Vouyeristic for you even to want that kind of information from me to begin with. Your snide reference to NAMBLA, like that was the issue, is what got me riled up. NAMBLA=PORN, PORN=NAMBLA? Is this the point you were trying to make here? Simply put, attempts to shut down a legitimate business by fining them into bankruptcy, is pretty un-American, even for those so pure amongst us. Not all of us are scared to look at naked women. Sorry if that offends you, NOT! Blackbird.

Stop taking things out of context? Maybe you should go back and read all the posts. Did I say I agree with fining them out of business? Or banning? I just don't think they belong in residential neighborhoods. Your the one that threw the hissy fit. Your the one threatening me over my opinion. So I guess you have a problem with the 1st Amendment then since you like to threaten people over their opinion. Real intelligent, what is this high school? It seems like you love to take things out of context yourself since your accusing me of something I never said. You were the one who stated the thing about "wants and needs" taking precedent over others. My point is that just because someone has "wants and needs" that doesn't justify that they have a legal right to it. Get it? That was my point with NAMBLA that you didn't get. If they say that their "wants and needs" consist of child porn well does that make child porn OK? This is basically their argument. Maybe you should read up on the political motives of these people since you have a similar argument. So your saying that "porn" is simply a naked woman? Wow you must have some real wholesome porn shops in West Virginia. That's your definition of porn? Give me a freaking break!!!! You don't need a porn shop to get a picture of a naked woman you can get that at any convenience store. Porn is not victimless.

For those of you who asked about the effects/issues of pornography I found a couple of articles that discuss it:

Subtle Dangers of Pornography
Addiction - The Pull of Pornography

Unfortunately it looks like you can't get the Final Report of the Attorney General’s Commission on Pornography online.

Maybe you should go back and read all the posts. Did I say I agree with fining them out of business? Or banning? I just don't think they belong in residential neighborhoods.
Perhaps you should read the article that got this going to begin with meathead."All they have to do is shut down to avoid the fines,'' said Mayor Baron H. Asher. Fining them out of business is exactly what's going on here. You support that whether your willing to admit it or not. Your rouse, not in my neighborhood, is one of the oldest whines to date. There is no mention of these shops being in a "neighborhood". Like it or not, this is a Republic in which we live, not a democracy, mob rule. Get a life, you might find things more interesting. Have you got enough credits in community service to graduate high school this year? You must be beside yourself, the only point I've been trying to make to you is simply, you are not going to tell me what I will do or not do. Not without a fight. Your immature mind can't grasp that concept. BTW, when will you be bringing religion to this argument? Can't wait! Blackbird.

I think your on crack or something, You support that whether your willing to admit it or not. Oh really? Now your a mind reader? Back to your insults and hypothetical delusions, nice MO. Hey whatever you do in your closet is your business, did I ever say otherwise? What does my level of education have to do with any of this anyway, regardless of what it is? Like I'm really impressed with your debating abilities, you can't even follow your own logic as evidenced by your "wants and needs" theory. Every time I make a statement to one of your arguments you come back avoiding what I said or avoid my questions entirley. Your entire argument is "nobodys gonna tell me what to do". I can see you were never on the debating team at whatever level of education you finished. Maybe you should take a course in symbolic logic. Why don't you go and pick a fight with someone that actually states they are in favor of fining and banning instead of "imagining" that thats what I think? Notice I said "think" because now your telling me what I'm "thinking" since you know I never said it. Maybe you can tell me what number I'm thinking of right now? Do you bend spoons with your mind too? If anything you've given me a really good laugh!!!! So run right down to your local porn shop or convenience store or where ever you get your pictures of "naked women" and pick up your latest issue of Hustler and be damn proud!!!!!!

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