Controversial ‘sexual device’ store offers to close if city will drop heavy fine
A “sexual device” store in Columbia is offering to close if the city of Columbia will drop fines against the owner and manager and stop any future legal action.
The Taboo store on Devine Street has been battling the city since it opened in 2001 as an adult bookstore in a former Taco Bell near Rosewood Drive.
Shortly after the store opened, the city adopted ordinances regulating sexually oriented businesses and allowed the shop to stay open long enough to recoup its investment.
Nearly a decade later, and after a string of court actions and appeals stretching to the U.S. Supreme Court, owner Jeff White is offering to not appeal the court’s most recent injunction and instead sell the building and move if the city will drop more than $28,000 in fines and promise not to pursue him any further.
White declined comment. But in an Oct. 22 letter to the city, White said he would “shutter the currently lawfully operating general retail operation on February 17, 2020, at 5 p.m.” if the deal is accepted.
White has contended that since he eliminated pornographic DVDs, books and magazines and now allows 16- and 17-year-olds to come into parts of his store with their parents, his store is no different from stores like Spencer’s Gifts and even Target, which sell sexual devices like vibrators.
But records show the city is standing on a state Circuit Court judge’s ruling in July that noted the wide variety of sexual devices and the lack of other forms of merchandise separates White’s operation from more mainstream retailers.
“The variety and volume of sexual devices that Taboo offers is unique and does not correspond to any other store,” Circuit Court Judge Jocelyn Newman wrote in her order.
Last month, the city once again denied White’s application for a business license, citing Newman’s July ruling. White could appeal that denial.
City officials wouldn’t say if they would accept the deal.
The city staff cannot comment on the matter, because it involves pending litigation, spokeswoman Leshia Utsey said.
This story was originally published November 1, 2019 at 5:30 AM.