Tuesday’s Daily Hampshire Gazette included some rare comments from Barry Goldberg of Longmeadow, MA, owner of the property at 135 King Street in Northampton that houses the Amazing.net porn shop.
Goldberg reflected on the extensive news coverage of the store’s original filing with city planners and its eventual arrival in late 2007. “I can’t tell you how much hate mail I got,” Goldberg said…
Goldberg has owned the property for more than 25 years and appreciated what he called his latest tenant’s tasteful window displays and the general property upkeep that he argues has been a credit to the business community…
Goldberg said he does not believe the adult store has been a detriment and that there are other issues explaining why the neighboring building, once owned by the late Douglas Kohl, has trouble finding tenants, including limited on-site parking.
NPN’s Adam Cohen posted this comment under the article:
I suppose reasonable people can disagree about secondary effects stemming from the Amazing.net store on King Street. They are much less blatant than those around the stores in Kittery, ME and Springfield (stores with viewing booths). However, in any discussion of “tasteful window displays” let’s not forget what Amazing.net actually sells. Here’s a sample. Be advised, all these links are just as unpleasant as they sound:
Nazi Torture Castle
http://nopornnorthampton.org/…/amazing-net-making…/The Swirlies (involves toilets)
http://nopornnorthampton.org/…/now-on-sale-at-amazing…/Racist titles
http://nopornnorthampton.org/…/herbert-brooks-and…/Pain 25
Remember when your daddy would come home from work and beat the living shit out of you? Remember how your flesh bruised and bled at the end of his belt? Some days you thought your worthless life was over. My how you begged and cried. Good times. Damn good times. Well now you can relive those special moments. Take Pain #25 home today!
http://nopornnorthampton.org/…/childhood-spanking…/Does this situation call for government censorship? No. Does it call for empathy and judgment on the part of the property owner? Yes.
We encourage the community to give Barry and Annette Goldberg feedback about their choices. However, any communication that involves disrespect or personal attacks is unacceptable. The plain facts are more than enough.
See also:
Now Showing at Amazing.net: The War on Relationships (explicit) (1/13/08)
Lesley Rich, general counsel for Capital Video, claims that their Amazing.net “stores are oriented more as a ‘sensuality’ style business, with a focus on couples and women in the adult market.” As Valentine’s Day approaches, let’s peel back the veneer of love at Amazing.net and examine the reality.
Breaking News – Site of Amazing.net Store in Northampton Goes Up for Lease (12/6/15)
In 2008, the Gazette reported that Douglas A. Kohl, a co-owner of commercial property at 139 King Street, “has been trying to lease the former furniture store for more than a year without success. Being located in the shadow of a porn store doesn’t help, he said.”
“It’s hard to tie one to the other, but it certainly doesn’t make our life any easier,” said Kohl, who lives nearby on Summer Street. “It’s certainly a factor in people’s considerations around leasing. … If we wanted to sell it, it would be impacted…”
As 2015 draws to a close, the building at 139 King Street still lacks a tenant.