UPDATE: Agreement Reached to Allow 'Secret Pleasures' to Open
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Updated: 4:14 PM Aug 26, 2010
UPDATE: Agreement Reached to Allow 'Secret Pleasures' to Open
Controversy continues over what some are calling an adult fun store.
Posted: 3:48 PM Aug 26, 2010
Reporter: Brooks Jarosz
Email Address: brooks.jarosz@wsaz.com
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UPDATE: Thursday, 8/26 @ 3:00 p.m.

KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- An agreement has been reached between the owner of 'Secret Pleasures' and Kanawha County officials to allow the adult store to open.

The county previously issued a restraining order and filed a petition for a preliminary injunction, prohibiting the store from opening and saying the owner, Kenneth Holliday, violated a county ordinance.

Under the new agreement, no more than 30 percent of the merchandise at the store may consist of adult books, videos, media or novelties. The merchandise also cannot be seen through windows or doors.

Also, no exotic entertainment is allowed in or around the the store on MacCorkle Avenue in Jefferson. Anyone under the age of 18 may not be on the property either.

If Holliday violates the agreement, he will have to pay a hefty fine and the business will be shut down.

A judge still has to sign off on the agreement.

The Kanawha County Planning Commission originally said Holliday violated the terms to operate an adult-only bookstore earlier this month, forcing the commission to issue the restraining order.

The ordinance states adult stores cannot operate within 2,000 feet of a church or school and define an adult-only store as having "significant or substantial" sexually-related materials.

Holliday has said he never had a substantial amount, but the commission disagreed.



ORIGINAL STORY

JEFFERSON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Controversy continues over what some are calling an adult fun store.

"Secret Pleasures" was set to open Friday in Jefferson, until the Kanawha County Commission stepped in and issued a restraining order.

The store's owner says he's just trying to run a legitimate business.

"I hope to have a nice boutique for people of all ages," owner Kenneth Holliday said. "All I have is one little corner of my store over here 84 square feet of adult material."

It's that one controversial corner that's caused the county commission to stop the doors on MacCorkle Avenue from ever opening.

The commission says "Secret Pleasures" is an adult-only story that failed to follow the rules and violated a county ordinance.

"I've looked at this guy's stuff and it's an adult bookstore," commissioner Kent Carper said. "He can call it whatever he wants but the people that live down there don't want it."

The county ordinance states adult stores cannot operate within 2,000 feet of a church or school and define an adult-only store as having "significant or substantial" sexually-related materials.

The owner says he doesn't even have enough materials to call his place adult.

"There's nothing in this store that you have to be 21 years old to buy," Holliday said. "They know what an adult is but yet they don't know what 'substantial or significant' is and I'd like for them to please explain it to me."

But that business won't be opening tomorrow as scheduled because the county issued a restraining order. Now, money and time are being spent on both sides to see whether the doors will open or remain shut.

"If he would have filled out the appropriate forms, responded to the letters then we would have been in a somewhat better position to pin him down on what his true intents were," Carper said.

"Secret Pleasures" already has an online adult fun store and another location in Huntington.

"That's been open since last year," Holliday said. "I haven't had the first complaint from the city or anybody."

In Jefferson, where bars and strip clubs abound, the county commission is hoping to change that scene, beginning with this boutique.

"Just because the other places started that doesn't mean at some point you can't begin the process of bringing some sanity back to a neighborhood," Carper said.

This case will now go before a judge and the business will not be opened as planned.

The store's owner says even if he takes all of the adult material out, he wouldn't be allowed to open a business there. He says in his store you can't find anything that wouldn't be in a Spencer's Gifts or even Walmart.

The county commission says by having a business like this, it hurts property values. Kent Carper says this is the first attempt by the Kanawha County Commission to fight the stigma Jefferson has had.


Latest Comments

Posted by: awakeinWV on Aug 27, 2010 at 10:20 AM

why are you so surprised about the legislation of their morality? they have been doing it for years with the war on drugs aka war on marijuana users. the rate of arrest for simple possession is something like five times greater for the arrest of intent to distribute...
Posted by: kc on Aug 27, 2010 at 06:19 AM

Here is what I think is funny...Our country is letting people influence the way we live, but however God is not allowed in public schools. When is people going to learn that people are different, and enjoy different things. My opinion on this is if these people are really living under god then stop judging.
Posted by: anonymous on Aug 26, 2010 at 06:31 PM

I love how people claim the whole separation of church and state card when they really dont know what they are talking about. The first ammendment was set up so that the government wouldnt have any influence over the church but the authors of the constitution never meant for it to be the other way around and you can look up quotes by them and it will prove this. I think it is great that they are trying to keep this store closed, with no disrespect the gentleman trying to open a business, but there are a billion other types of businesses that could be opened for the same price that he is opening that one that would be more appropriate for all.
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