A businessman has threatened to sue the city of Jonesboro for not allowing him to open a store on Tara Boulevard.
The city classifies the business, Exotic Pleasures, as an adult bookstore and says the proposed location at 8228 Tara Blvd. is not zoned for such an establishment.
Jason Ferree, co-owner of the proposed store, denies that assertion. He said the store would be a "general retail" outlet that would sell some adult-themed items that would be cordoned off in a separate room from other merchandise. A customer would have to show identification to enter the adult area, he said.
Ferree went before the Jonesboro City Council Monday evening armed with evidence to prove that he should be granted a business license. "I've done all that I can to convince them," said Ferree. He said he would take the city to court if he isn't granted a license by the city council's next meeting on June 13.
His main argument: The city denied him a license in January while allowing gas stations and an adult video store, both of which sell adult movies, to operate in Jonesboro.
Ferree said his store would sell “clothing, apparel, body jewelry and a lot of odds and ends.” He described the store as being similar to the novelty chain Spencer’s Gifts.
Chatri Novelty Inc., the store’s ownership company, owns two similar stores in Columbus, one of which is also called Exotic Pleasures; the other is named Pleasureworld, according to Ferree.
He said about 12 percent of his offerings could be classified as adult-themed and that is within the Jonesboro city code, which classifies an adult bookstore as "any commercial establishment in which more than 20 percent of floor space is used for the display or offer for sale of any book or publication, film or other medium or device which depicts sexually explicit nudity or sexual conduct.”
City leaders did not say whether they would deal with Ferree's request at the council’s next business meeting, but the threat of legal action was enough for officials to say it will be referred to City Attorney Steve Fincher for review.
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