Posted on 02/14/2003 6:21:55 AM PST by NativeSon
Wild, anonymous, male sex romps took place frequently in the sixth-floor men's room at the Center City Strawbridge's store, police said.
Police arrested five men yesterday, and another half dozen last month, in the bathroom, which is listed as a primo sex spot on a graphic Web site catering to gay men.
The men's room also was featured in Philadelphia magazine last month as "one of the classiest spots in town to find love with a perfect stranger."
All face charges of prostitution or lewd behavior, said Lt. Charles Green. None was a Strawbridge's employees.
Strawbridge officials were not available to comment last night.
Green said Strawbridge's, on Market near 9th, reported the problem to police in early January after a father and son walked into the bathroom around Christmas and saw two men having sex.
According to posts on the gay Web site, the bathroom has been popular for months. As many as 11 men could be crowded into the room, they said.
"I've been here when the stalls were half full and three guys were standing outside the occupied stalls with their pants down (or off completely!)," one writer said.
Another said: "I've been there when four or five guys are all going at it at the same time."
The bathroom is located in the restaurant, at the far end of the long pink dining room, with white linen tablecloths, crystal chandeliers and oil paintings.
The restroom appeared pretty slow last night.
The Web site also suggests other public bathrooms for the sexually voracious, including one in the Mellon Building on Market near 8th; the bathroom near the food court at the Gallery, on Market between 7th and 11th; and the basement restroom in the Mellon Bank Building at Market Street near 18th.
Green said they were investigating other locations, but would not reveal where they were.
I can see the cops at the stationhouse now:
I was searching gay cruising websites, and there is a place we have to bust.
LOL
Bahaha, yeah, I can imagine, I'm from Philly and I know a lot of the cops there and this must be the "sh*t detail" you're put on for some scr*w up.
Reminds me of that old song (Jimmy Buffet?)..."Looking for love in all the wrong places"
Ya' know, the funny thing is that I use to try to believe this but after observation and experience, I know that it isn't true.
I mean, who would do this? We're not talking about a nightclub here but what use to be a great department store. I've been there many times since I was a child and it was a classy place that reminded me of the way Philly once was like back in the day.
These people want America to accept them as good, honest flok but they do things that good honest folk don't do.
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