Judge rejects Taboo adult store’s latest request to stay open

The Taboo sex shop on Columbia’s Devine Street has lost another round in its court fight to remain open after City Hall denied its owners a renewal of a business license.

Federal Judge Terry Wooten on Friday denied the adult store’s request that he reconsider his decision in February not to allow the store to remain open at its 4716 Devine St. location while the court fight continues.

Wooten has not ruled on requests by Taboo and the city to dismiss the case outright.

Taboo has been a sore spot for city officials since it opened in December 2011. Since then, Whole Foods and other retailers have located along the same stretch of road, boosting the area’s profile. And nearby neighborhood residents have complained about a sex shop being located so close to their homes.

The store, which sells sex toys, movies and other adult-oriented merchandise, originally met the city’s zoning and licensing requirements. However, the city changed its sexually oriented business zoning and licensing requirements within weeks of Taboo’s opening.

That meant Taboo no longer fell within local laws, but the city gave it a two-year grace period and the chance to receive extensions if the owners could prove the move would cause a financial hardship. A request for an extension denied after a public hearing.

Clif LeBlanc

This story was originally published September 30, 2014 at 7:56 PM with the headline "Judge rejects Taboo adult store’s latest request to stay open ."