Adam & Eve protest petition continues to draw online signatures

The online protest against Adam & Eve opening an adult-themed store near the Streets of Southpoint continues to draw more signatures, with the N&O now following up with a new story on the matter.

Elected officials have noted that they are powerless to block this retail business, which can operate by right at the location at the corner of NC 54 and Fayetteville.

An Adam & Eve shop is currently located right near the old South Square mall along 15-501 and will relocate to this new site when open. Such mall-district locations seem like nothing new for the Hillsborough based retail and catalog firm, whose Raleigh store is located just up the street from the Crabtree Valley Mall in a respectable restaurant and retail district of the city.

The comments in the online petition -- whose first signer was noted South Durham advocate Melissa Rooney -- describe the area surrounding the proposed site as a "family and church area;" some suggest the store should be banned anywhere in the Bull City, while others say that the store should simply find another, less family-oriented part of the city to operate in.

(Our question here at BCR: just what part of the city might that be? Whatever you think about the proposed location, the idea that South Durham is "for families" in a way the rest of Durham isn't is akin to one of those laughable protect-my-little ones themes you usually hear from Wake County neighborhood school advocates.)

Apparently the current South Square location doesn't meet the family-oriented test of commentor "Ms. M.A.," who notes, "I think the current location is best for this type of store and shouldn't be at the newly proposed site."

Ms. Rooney, a passionate advocate against what she notes to be poor development practices and over-rapid growth in South Durham, missed the rhetorical angle of one David Cosentino, who notes, "Tearing down trees is a sin; the morality of placing a sex shop in a residential neighborhood is marginal. To do both requires shockingly misplaced values and a pervasive cultural narcissism."

There are some protest signers, too, with comments like "bring it on! orgasms are good for the family" and "You wouldn't have your family without sex," nestled against country-song-themed thoughts like (we're not making this up) "You have to stand for something or you'll fall for anything -- let's stand for values."

Read more over at the online petition. What say you, gentle BCR readers?

Comments

[barry]

i guess no one in south Durham watches sporting events on TV with their children.

"Daddy, what's Viagra?"

[Greg Barbera]

"Mommy, what's Victoria's secret?"

"And why is it in the MALL?"

[duncan]

There's a lot of signers saying it shouldn't be placed in a residential area or in a more retail area. Um, huh? It's a lot closer to neighborhoods than the current store is to say Rockwood, sure, but it's still in a pretty big retail area (though perhaps a bit more mixed use). They make it sound like the store is going to sit in the middle of Woodcroft or something.

And I'm with you, where are the less family-oriented areas of the city?

[aqdrinker]

Anyone care to start a petition to remove the Family Christian Bookstore from the same area? It offends my sensibilities and I refuse to be offended!

[Seth Vidal]

of course, you can't have a retail location where teenagers can go to pick up condoms and learn an enormous amount about safe sex practices. That would be terrible.

We have to keep kids being confused and self-hating about their sexuality. That makes the world better, clearly.

[Lisa B]

I'm half-tempted to start a "Just Say Yes to Adam & Eve" Petition ... but I'm also lazy and busy at the moment. Someone else start one & I'll sign it ...

[James Martin]

Seriously? Our economy is in the tank and shows very little sign of improvement and THIS is what gets these idiots riled up? A retail store locating to a retail location surrounded by other retail?

[Masshole]

I would rather see people focused on the big 751 development program that just got slipped through the city council via a shifty move by the development team than on this store.

[duncan]

I realize my first sentence doesn't make any sense. It should say something along the lines of "there are a lot of signers who are saying it shouldn't be in a residential area but in a more retail-heavy area."

(Preview is my friend)

[JoeBowser'sBoxers]

Oh please. It's not like there will be dildoes marching down the street, flinging KY jelly at people's cars. People, get over yourselves. Is Sarah Palin behind this? Oh wait, I said behind. heh heh heh

[sex, rock and booze]

Oh come on. What are we here in Durham? Are we a progressive, liberal town - or are we a bunch of namby-pamby dinos? First there's resistance to a light sculpture at our premiere downtown venue... then this flap about making downtown more bar friendly... and now resistance to a toystore... what's next? Sarah Palin as mayor?

[the gourmez]

Oh please, I can't think of a more appropriate place for Adam & Eve than down the street from a bible bookstore. Be fruitful and multiply, ya'll, just not with any fun.

Where are the churches by the way? Is there anywhere in the South that isn't within a mile of a church?

[B]

Last time I checked, Adam & Eve is a business, meaning their first priority is to make money. Clearly, they think they're going to make more money being located in the "family and church area". Hmm...now why could that be...?

[lucas]

So have any of the protesters looked at crime stats for the current location?

For anyone that hasn't, try the Durham crime mapper for Adam & Eve's address 4125 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd: http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/gis_apps/crimedata/dsp_entryform.cfm

According to the summary of the police table in a half-mile radius for the past year, there are only two entries for Adam and Eve's address: one for shoplifting and one for theft from a coin-operated machine. In contrast, there are 28 entries for the Super Target (4037 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd) across the parking lot, including shoplifting, theft from building, theft from motor vehicle, theft of motor vehicles, and larceny.

[Liz]

Just have to defend south Durham town - I live here and I am super psyched about the Adam and Eve coming here. Lisa B, I would sign the petition with you. In fact I think I'll do a little research right now and email the person to whom the petition is addressed. And maybe Adam & Eve with support.

[aburtch]

I live right around the corner from this new store and don't see what all the fuss is about. As others have mentioned the exterior is no different than Victoria's Secret. In conversations with people in the neighborhood, I have found that they don't necessarily object to the store or what it sells, what gets them particularly riled up is it's *location*. I believe there is a term for that - "NIMBY" or Not In My Back Yard.

It's also a slippery slope to say it should be in a "less-family oriented" area of Durham. That's almost exactly like Sarah Palin's comment about being in "Real-America." So what part of America is fake? What part of Durham is "less-family oriented"?

But at the end of the day there is nothing the neighborhood can do about it. Adam and Eve is a legal retail business setting up shop in an area that is zoned for retail. Plus I'm sure the company's legal team is very experienced at dealing with protests.

[Toastie]

Because of its proximity to houses of worship, church-going children could be confused, thinking the store is somehow affiliated with the Adam and Eve of the Old Testament.

Perhaps this controversy would go away if this particular outlet simply went by a different name, like Strap-ons Etc.

[southdurhamparent]

I'm one of those south durham parents that so often gets sterotyped by the rest of the city. Not all of us down here (including some of my friends and neighbors) fit that mold. And in this case, my only issue with the location of the A&E store is I don't think their parking lot is big enough. Suburban mom's & dad's need a little fun too. ;)

I have young children who are curious too. "Mom, we should stop at that place and buy a pie?" Which place, honey. "The one with the sign that says Cherry Pie. Cherry Pie is my favorite." I found a very tackful way around this conversation as I'm sure other parents will find when A&E opens.

As long as the more explicit items are kept out of the display windows in the front of the store, I think we in South Durham will be just fine. And BTW, I'm really suprised that A&E has not learned that the parking should be discretly in the back. They would get a whole lot more business from locals who don't want "nosy neighbor nate" seeing their car parked at the A&E.

And while I don't protest the store, I don't have an issue w/ people starting a petition against it either. I get where they are coming from... I don't agree... but I get it. First Amendment rights and all. And as far as areas of Durham that are less family friendly, I would say parts of RTP fits that bill. Not many families live in RTP. Also any industrial area of the city fits that bill. Again, not many families live in an active warehouse district (not one converted to lofts) or an industrial area. I don't know if Durham has those areas left or not... but when I think of less family friendly... I think of industrial zones.... not your neighborhood downtown or neighborhoods at all. Industrial and business zones tend not to be neighborhoods.... thus not so much family activity going on.

BTW, in economic down turns, adult business like A&E thrive. In times of prosperity they don't do as well. A tidbit for the day. ;)

[Joshua Allen]

I'm ashamed to live in the same City as so many sexually repressed people. What is so awful about a store that sells sex toys and how does that harm children? Having sex is one of the primary goals of all life. Eat, sleep, poop, have sex, repeat, and not necessarily in that order.

In the end, the petition doesn't really matter. The store will open and people will go on with their lives and I'm sure many of the "petitioners" will wind up shopping there!

[Robbie]

Woodcroft sent the petition link to all residents, while at the same time claiming "We haven't taken an official position on this." But since they didn't also include a link to any "pro-sex shop" link, they obviously *have* taken a position on it by promoting the petition. I am quite annoyed, since I live in woodcroft. What is the problem with people who sign that thing? Are we living in the dark ages or something?

[durhamresident]

I'm a little creeped out by mega-church sprawl on Fayetteville Rd. south of Southpoint toward Chatham County.
Where's the outrage and petition against that??

If we can't have an "Adam & Eve" store, how 'bout one for "Adam & Steve?"

[Andrew F]

I tend to agree with the aparent majority of the posters here who take issue with the "values"-based objections raised by most of the opponents of the shop's move, and I also agree with the notion mentioned in the blog that the clearcutting and rapid development (of all kinds) in the area is far more detrimental to the livability of SW Durham.

However, as a homeowner in one of the nearby developments, I am concerned enough about the potential impact on property values (not solely from this one shop, but also from the precedent set by this type of development) that I signed the petition. Sure, it may be self-serving, but I'd ask the anti-anti-sex shop people to put themselves in local homeowners' shoes for a moment before deciding whether they would oppose this location for an adult store.