East Grand Forks official says adult store must move
May 9, 2012 at 4:07 pm in Grand Forks Herald
Owner says he’ll change offerings to comply with lawAn adult-themed store has been deemed too adult for the commercial district of East Grand Forks, according to one of the store’s owners. Jim Patterson, co-owner of Fantasy’s, said East Grand Forks city planner Nancy Ellis inspected the store’s sale stock Wednesday, determining it would have to move to an industrial zone. Continue Reading
“According to Patterson, Ellis said if you sell items that vibrate, which Fantasy’s does, you are an adult store.”
Really? I bought a back massager at a local store. It vibrates. Guess that makes it an adult store…not. It was a local discount store in EGF.
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I bought a cell phone and I can make it vibrate. So does that imply if you give your child a cell phone set to vibrate you are supplying them with a sex device
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Maybe they should sell cell phones.. They vibrate too.. Oh No… Cell phone companies sell adult toys too.. It reminds me of the joke.. The lady says.. “If I don’t answer the phone.. Keep calling.. I’ll be done soon”
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And then there’s those nasty washing machines that can be leaned against during the more extreme cycles…..Now that’s super sized nasty….
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For real?!?
I’m moving out of this town at the end of the month. I couldn’t be happier. I hope these idiots in EGF and GF read these posts. These are the most backward-ass cities I’ve ever lived in. Unless it benefits those on the city council, it’s out of the question. Good luck with your city. And best of luck to this lady they’ve jerked around… no idea why she’s put up with it this long.
I don’t care enough to go to council meetings and whatnot, I’ve seen how this city runs and I’m out.
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Good call! Now bring a friend or 50 with you. The ants go marching one by one… Other cities have jobs that aren’t retail…
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Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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Really? I disagree with the actions taken against this store but, man, if that is the only issue on which you base a decision whether to stay or go – don’t let the door hit you in the butt and good riddance. The 6 or 8 blizzards every winter would probably be the death of you.
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If only this was the worse issue huh?
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My comments are awaiting moderation. What does that mean? The city opposes?
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Nice, I had a lengthy comment that was awaiting moderation, and it is now gone. I’m done on here if this place wants to do that. In the end, I said I disapprove of these two cities bullying up against new businesses.
And I’m done subscribing to the Herald.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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This site does enjoy censorship. I’ve been moderated a few times and they even banned a few of my more comedic accounts. The admins here have no sense of humor
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It’s all in the filters…..Often the best policy is to stay away from direct names of people, business, and outside of the valley..whole towns……I’ve been put on hold just for mentioning a city in the western part of the state when commenting on the boom…I took out the town name and resubmitted it and it went right through….Their filters are set up a bit too anal….
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I had the same thing happen to me a couple of weeks ago. My editorial on how the city counsel REALLY works and they pulled it. Didn’t use any vulgar language or anything like that. They don’t want anyone to hear the truth…
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It means you criticized the city council, the Herald, and/or its advertisers.
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I bought a vibrator –fingertip model at Walmart the other day.
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Congratultions
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That’s why there is no Walmart in EGF. LOL!
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What happened in GF was outragous, but I have no sympathy on this one. After all they went through over in GF they tried to sneak in under the radar…..Unless there’s more to the story that isn’t being reported then I fail to see the logic in trying to get in the way they did….
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Just to be clear….I have no problem with the store setting up anywhere…….I just fail to see the logic in doing things the way they did here after all the crap in GF
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If anyone wants help circulating petitions in the EGF neighborhood nearby, let me know. I’ll help.
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I just don’t understand why sex is considered so taboo in society! Isn’t it kind of like a natural thing? I just don’t get it!!!!
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It’s definitely taboo to anyone around here at least.
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Maybe it’s because so many of them have this suspicion that they’re just not doing it right?
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Blame Saul of Tarsus.
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It isn’t taboo. It just isn’t necessary to have it all laying out on the street like a corner hooker!
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The hookers in gf don’t work the street. They are hip to technology and advertise on backpage
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People don’t want to imagine their mothers going ‘Give it up you pot bellied Stallion’ while wearing cowboy boots and a hat while their dad is in a bridle is all.
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Remember…if you smoke after sex you are doing it to fast.
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Flood the EGF offices with phone calls telling them they are full of BS
773-2483 for the City, 773-0124 for the planner.
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Here is a thought. How about Re-zone the Area. I live close to the store. Doesn’t bother me.
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Yeah, if big brother to the west can do it, why can’t they?
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These poor people… just trying to open a business! Sex happens… sex parties happen… bachelorette parties also happen. They will continue happening forever. That’s fine i’m sure plenty order from out of state or will go someplace that has these items. According to the tv Adam & Eve has a sale going on so might as well take advantage…
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She is not a victim in egf. She brought the fight to herself by opening under the radar and not contacting the city. She also intentionally kept the windows wide open to grandstand her store. Its funny she thought it was appropriate to cover her windows on washinton street. Egf officials publicly stated they were willing to help her open her buisness if she went through the correct channels. Fantasy’s is clearly in the wrong in egf.
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As I understood it, the coverings on N Washington were just to call attention or advertize the store until her product displays were in place. It was going to look much like EGF is trying to look. Or like Romantix looks…
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I don’t understand either Ron…I mean they try to open before even seeing if they meet building codes…..Somehow those who are so gung ho about this place opening are either not reading the articles or are missing the point here……THIS ISN’T THE SAME ISSUE AS BEFORE….THEY WERE DUMB ASSES IN THEIR APPROACH HERE…….Think they’ll notice this time around?
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And I thought the south was bad! Seriously this is just plain embarrassing! The grand cities doesn’t seem to grand if you want to contribute to the community by opening a business, creating jobs, and giving the government more tax dollars. It is already hard enough to get people and businesses here due to the geographical location. Why would you want to discourage businesses and people even more? I hope everyone remembers how people are treated for trying to contribute to the community come election time and vote these people who are hurting our community instead of helping it out of office. As for me, as soon as I graduate I’m going to vote with my wallet by moving elsewhere. There is no North Dakota nice around here!
Hot debate. What do you think?
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I think both cities are missing the point by legislating location. What should be regulated is 1. the name of the business (nothing outwardly offensive) 2. What is allowed to be displayed in the windows or on the exterior of the building and 3. the age of those who enter either the building itself or the “back room” where only the “most offensive” materials are displayed.
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When Romantix moved in downtown GF and opened up its display windows the City Council, as requested by concerned citizens I’m sure, tried to do just that. Somebody played the Freedom of Speech card, which this has, in my opinion, nothing to do with, and that was the end of it. There is nothing about that storefront that speaks well of Grand Forks.
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I haven’t lived in GF for a while but I remember the yoiung studs ogling the Victoria’s Secret windows in Columbia Mall. But at least it is far from their school where the young misses dress like sex dolls nowadays.
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If the Grand Forks City Council passed an ordinance banning adult businesses from opening within 1,000 feet of schools and 500 feet of places of worship, parks and residential zones. Isn’t a bar downtown considered adult businesses?
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I’m fairly convinced that business in Grand Forks is determined by whom you know.
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Borrowed Bucks Roadhouse comes to mind. Is it not within 1000 feet of Red River HS? I don’t have a problem with the business but the rules should apply to all.
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Why is it you can’t build a sex shop within 500 feet of a church but a church could build within 500 feet of a sex shop
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Congrats
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I guess that’s why she just kept the plain plywood that was already up in egf in place without advertising before the store opened.
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…well come on folks, you can’t have children and sensitive folks upset from seeing such things … which is why the store can’t be close to places that feature a graphic display of bloody torture and promotes a book filled with sex and obscenity.
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You do know that’s way over the heads of many of the people you’re trying to poke right? Nice one though…
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I’m so proud of everyone as I read your stuff.. Everyone is right on in every area on the prudishness on the cities thinking.. Some messages was on target.. I’d like to ask you why do the rich people who our leaders make all the rules.. Are they directing more money for them while they are in office? Two people comes to my mind.. Dr. Brown and Hal Gershman.. Ask them to step down and, Our cities can get another chance to serve the real people who work here
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Because they have the money and the time. What do you suppose would be Gershman’s reaction if one of his liquor clerks walked out of the store at 11 am saying “I have a city council committee meeting to attend?”
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Tundra you are sensible about this subject and I respect that. I agree with you I don’t think a lot of people understand what she is doing in egf. She opened shop without notifying anyone. I work with someone that lives in that neighborhood and I asked them Tuesday if they knew what was happening a block down the street and they didn’t even know anyone was opening that building up. She snuck in to the neighbor hood into a building which is zoned commercial (the wrong zone for her buisness) didn’t notify anyone that she was opening shop and than cried foul when the city did its job.
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I can’t believe they are trying to open such a store. Our brave nation was founded without latex and without latex it should remain. Our founding fathers had nothing that vibrated. The most they could hope for was a rough road while they rode in their carriages.
These stores infringe on our sacred family values; values that are being attacked from all sides. Television, the Internet, and, lest we not forget, the lingering scourge of The Villiage People.
People say sex will always happen. To that I say “no sir!”. Science will figure out how to do away with sex. Nasty, dirty, filthy sex..
One comment mentioned a vibrating device purchased at Walmart. How dare you you purchase a pleasure product made in a foreign country. America still makes a few power tools that, when covered in a generous amount of American-made butter or margarine, produces a similar sensation. And when you are done you can trim the hedges or hang some drywall with the same device for your loving wife. Now that, dear citizen, is the meaning of family values.
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Leave another empty store in East Grand Forks. That’s not the way to do it. What are these people so afraid of sex for? Everyone who walks past that store was the product of someone having sex. Ban bedrooms in EGF now.
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Why not open in the Kmart mall in Grand Forks…since apparently malls are exempt from the new regulation? Could open up next to DMV and those churchs……get your toys, license plates and some religion…AND Bingo…all in one stop….
I’m sure there’s plenty of vacancy….
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What about the downtown churchs by Romantix….will the Plain Brown Wrapper have to close as well now?
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