EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written by a Reader. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Waterland Blog nor its staff:]

Am I the only one who has looked across the street from Walgreens and seen the new porno shop we have in Des Moines now? We finally got rid of the all the pan handlers up on Pac Hwy and Kent Des Moines Road. Cleaned up all the planters in the middle of Pac Hwy. Yes, it’s finally looking spiffy for folks to drive down to the marina. And alas, now we have our SECOND porno shop that has all it’s parking secretly in the back. How convenient for the drugs and prostitution to take place where NO ONE can see. And our already stretched thin police department having to cruise in there if they do at all. I don’t know whether to scratch my head at the ignorance of ME or to shake my head at our civic leaders. Can a porno shop just move in anywhere. None of the rules/regs cover that new porno shop up there. If they did then it wouldn’t be there. Right next door to a dental clinic. Right behind it are apartments. Just a 1/2 block away is a donut shop. But hey, while you are waiting for your car repairs at the corner, go to the porno shop and mention who sent ya! And now we have that new beautiful hotel going in. Oh I bet they didn’t know about this porno shop when they broke ground huh? Too late… or maybe not!!! The beautiful waterland town is now the town known for 2 porno shops. Yeah, this is where I have laid down my roots. And we have a Christian day care, church and elementary school one block to the west. But none of that matters because of the type of building it has taken residence up in. If I build a deck the city is on my ass for NO permit. I guess putting up a porno shop is ok no matter where. Is it just me being a whiner…do I need to let go and tell my friends all about the new business? Will they have a booth at the market next year??? Thank you! Beverly Walker
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6 replies on “LETTER: 'The beautiful waterland town is now the town known for 2 porno shops'”

  1. I have mixed feelings about this business. Originally, I didn’t really care about these places. Not a business I would frequent, but not a concern. Also, Hwy 99, no matter what city it goes through is seedy at best, so I don’t think it’s bringing down the neighborhood that much.
    I regularly read the city managers report posted on the cities website. One of the items in the most recent one was the new business license for this new “Adult bookstore” (No honey, I am just going to the library). I was confused as to whether this was a new one, or whether it was a change in ownership or some other legal loophole that the original one had to jump through.
    I googled the new bookstores address with the name of the original. What came up was kind of shocking. It described a live event with 20ish participants in a back room. All willing, all of age, and free of charge. It doesn’t sound like any crimes were committed, but it is absolutely disgusting.
    So my mixed feelings are:
    Positive:
    Pac Hwy isn’t a good area, and not an area I frequent other than to drive. These businesses or gathering places will exist whether we like it or not, at least keep it in the seedy part of town. These “gatherings” seem to be attended by people you would see as regular joes. It could be your neighbor, or local business owner. If these places don’t exist, how do we know that these “gatherings” won’t happen in our neighbors house, the back room of the local coffee shop or hardware store. I like to keep seedy where seedy belongs.
    Negative:
    You pretty much hit all of them in your letter, drugs, prostitutes, etc. as a father, there is no way in hell I would let my daughter go to daycare within a block of Pac Hwy whether or not a porn shop was there.

  2. I have mixed feelings about this business. Originally, I didn’t really care about these places. Not a business I would frequent, but not a concern. Also, Hwy 99, no matter what city it goes through is seedy at best, so I don’t think it’s bringing down the neighborhood that much.
    I regularly read the city managers report posted on the cities website. One of the items in the most recent one was the new business license for this new “Adult bookstore” (No honey, I am just going to the library). I was confused as to whether this was a new one, or whether it was a change in ownership or some other legal loophole that the original one had to jump through.
    I googled the new bookstores address with the name of the original. What came up was kind of shocking. It described a live event with 20ish participants in a back room. All willing, all of age, and free of charge. It doesn’t sound like any crimes were committed, but it is absolutely disgusting.
    So my mixed feelings are:
    Positive:
    Pac Hwy isn’t a good area, and not an area I frequent other than to drive. These businesses or gathering places will exist whether we like it or not, at least keep it in the seedy part of town. These “gatherings” seem to be attended by people you would see as regular joes. It could be your neighbor, or local business owner. If these places don’t exist, how do we know that these “gatherings” won’t happen in our neighbors house, the back room of the local coffee shop or hardware store. I like to keep seedy where seedy belongs.
    Negative:
    You pretty much hit all of them in your letter, drugs, prostitutes, etc. as a father, there is no way in hell I would let my daughter go to daycare within a block of Pac Hwy whether or not a porn shop was there.

  3. We do live in an era where the tenets of free speech trump common sense, decency , and majority rule. All are relegated to the garbage heap and we end up needing more police than we can afford..

  4. We do live in an era where the tenets of free speech trump common sense, decency , and majority rule. All are relegated to the garbage heap and we end up needing more police than we can afford..

  5. If anyone has noticed lately the parking lot at the original venue is usually busier than usual, that should be clue #1 that a “video” store in the age of internet is involved in other activities. I don’t have any issue what consenting adults do in a place that is designated for that activity however the problem remains with the safety element of our neighborhood of the crime that comes along with much of that activity. Another issue with this is human rights. Prostitutes are required to take HIV tests and make it public record if booked (not convictted) for soliciting in Des Moines. Are the johns tested? Are the pimps ever equally scrutinized for criminal behavior? If the concern is a public safety issue of a personal choice, where is the health dept to hand out condoms and advise of regular std testing & post exposure clinics at places like these adult theaters?

  6. If anyone has noticed lately the parking lot at the original venue is usually busier than usual, that should be clue #1 that a “video” store in the age of internet is involved in other activities. I don’t have any issue what consenting adults do in a place that is designated for that activity however the problem remains with the safety element of our neighborhood of the crime that comes along with much of that activity. Another issue with this is human rights. Prostitutes are required to take HIV tests and make it public record if booked (not convictted) for soliciting in Des Moines. Are the johns tested? Are the pimps ever equally scrutinized for criminal behavior? If the concern is a public safety issue of a personal choice, where is the health dept to hand out condoms and advise of regular std testing & post exposure clinics at places like these adult theaters?

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