Today’s Gazette reports that Capital Video’s Amazing.net porn shop at 135 King Street will open on Monday. To conform with city ordinances, it will contain 998 square feet of “adult-themed items”, down from a potential 6,000+ square feet in their original plans in late June 2006.
The store’s 20 proposed viewing booths were heaved over the side in August 2006 as Capital Video’s track record in Kittery, Maine became widely known. Springfield recently closed Capital Video’s viewing booths there as a public nuisance.
Lesley S. Rich, an attorney for Capital Video, claims that “There are a lot of people waiting for us to open… We have a busy time between Christmas and Valentine’s Day.”
If you’re one of those other people who are less than eager to see this shop open next to homes and schools, feel free to express your opinion to the landlords, Barry and Annette Goldberg of Longmeadow (mailing address as supplied on planning board application). See our open letter to the Goldbergs from last year.
See also:
The Republican: “Adult store opens in Northampton” (12/18/07)
Adam R. Cohen, who founded the group NoPornNorthampton, said he and wife Jendi Reiter visited the store yesterday and found it “tamer” than some other Amazing.net stores.
“My overall impression is that they seem to be trying to avoid controversy at the moment,” he said.
Cohen noted that sex magazines, which can be among the most graphic items in such stores, were not on display.
CBS Springfield: “Adult Video Store Opens to Northampton” (12/17/07)
The store stirred emotions last year when residents learned the owner wanted to sell adult videos, magazines and toys. “It is ridiculous to have a porn shop four blocks away from school…” said Stefan Weiner, a Northampton resident.
Now on Sale at Capital Video: Watch Women Eat Their Own Poop (explicit)
One of the newer crazes in porn is a genre called “ass-to-mouth”. In a typical scenario, a man has anal sex with a woman, then puts his penis into her mouth. In effect, the woman is being paid to eat her own feces. How to interpret this as empowering to women is beyond our imagination.
A quick search of Capital Video’s website, Amazing.net, finds “A2m – The Art Of Ass To Mouth #1” (PDF) and “A2m 4” (PDF) now on sale. The sales copy for the films claim:
Ask any girl and shes sure to tell you – “There’s nothing more romantic than Ass-To-Mouth”.Capital Video sells movies that promote infidelity, despair, call women “sluts” and “whores” (explicit language)
Deviant Housewives
In this world nothing lasts forever and it looks like Kelly Erikson’s husband Van needs some space. Kelly decides to invite all her friends going thru the same problems to stay and support each other. But all of Kelly’s friends have an empty void in their lives they need filled and it’s from a younger man!
Use Em’ Abuse Em’ and Lose Em’ #9
Ride along as we pick up ordinary young women fuck’em senseless and dump’em! It’s all good clean fun!
Mother Fuckers #03
When the husband’s away the whores will play…
TalkBackNorthampton: “Danger, Pictures! Cap Video Writes to City Council” (11/2/06)
[Public letter from Lesley Rich, General Counsel, Capital Video Corporation:] “…a campaign has been waged against our business by individuals that have maligned the reputation of Capital Video. Contrary to published reports, Capital enjoys an excellent relationship with its host communities, and has not encountered any of the problems or detrimental effects that have been put forth. Our employees and the stores they operate are responsible members of their communities… There is absolutely no truth that our business increases crime, or detracts from the neighborhood in which we operate.”
What Kittery Found at the Porn Shop
From the minutes of a meeting of the Kittery Town Council, February 27, 2006…
a. (020206-1) THE KITTERY TOWN COUNCIL MOVES TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON AND HEREBY ORDAINS CHAPTER 5.40, AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING LICENSES FOR VIEWING BOOTHS OF ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ESTABLISHMENTS. …Police Chief Strong came forward and said everyone was aware that this establishment had been a bone of contention for a long time. Although they had other regulations toward that establishment, it had come to his attention that there were either illegal activities going on or activities that were detrimental to the health and welfare of patrons and the general public…
Chief Strong said Fernald Road residents had complained about finding offensive trash on the road and the Department did their own surveillance, finding such items as empty pill bottles, lubricants, leather straps, movies, and used condoms within 100 yards of the rear of the establishment on Fernald Road…
The Chief said their informant told them that on numerous occasions he had tried to clean but had not been given any information on how to wash the areas properly. Police Chief Strong said he believed the collection of material they made, along with the lab results, showed beyond a reasonable doubt that there were body fluids being exchanged or deposited that other people were exposed to…
Full Text of Springfield’s Decision to Revoke Capital Video’s Viewing Booth Entertainment License (December 2007)
…the undisputed facts in this matter show that the video booths on the Capital Video premises have been used for prostitution, assignation or lewdness, sexual assaults and are connected to drug activity and therefore, the video booths are deemed a nuisance and there are substantial grounds for denial or revocation of the 2007 license…
…the testimony shows repeated and persistent evidence of illegal activity and complicity and reckless disregard of Capital Video’s management over a long period of time which is sufficient to constitute a nuisance.
Moreover, viewing the evidence as a whole, there is absolutely no basis to credit any assertions or representations that Capital Video has, can or will permanently improve the conditions of its viewing booths and the open, repeated, pervasive and notoriously lewd and lascivious behavior associated with the booths…
Capital Video’s Magazine Rack: Bondage, Racism and More
Rick Porras, Capital Video Executive, Would Rather You Not Know He Is a Pornographer (explicit language)
Capital Video’s “Victoria’s Secret Standard”: Not Compatible with Northampton’s Signage Regulations
Potential Nuisance Claims Against Capital Video
Capital Video Attorney Michael Pill: Fickle Defender of Free Speech
A Hostile Work Environment: The Porn Sections of Movie Gallery Video Stores
Improv Resource Center: True Porn Clerk Stories (explicit language)