Naughty But Nice owner plans to stay in business / LJWorld.com

Archive for Friday, December 28, 2007

December 28, 2007

'Naughty but Nice' kicked to curb

Richard Osburn, owner of adult novelty store Naughty But Nice, said he will comply with a court's eviction order. Enlarge video

He plans to comply with a judge's eviction order by Jan. 5.

After that, the owner of a Massachusetts Street adult novelty store, long mired in a battle with the city, doesn't know where his business will end up.

But Richard Osburn vows he'll be in business somewhere.

"There's a building out there that's certainly the right price. I just don't know if I like the location enough that I'm going to take it," said Osburn, owner of Naughty But Nice, 1741 Mass.

Osburn would not identify the location of the building he's considering. He's trying to decide whether the new site would give him enough business. There's also some question of whether the site is inside or outside the city limits, Osburn said. He said he would only operate just outside the city limits.

Three weeks ago, Douglas County District Judge Michael Malone ruled Osburn had 30 days to move out of the Massachusetts Street building. Osburn's landlord, Bruce Banning, had wanted him out by the end of November to make way for another tenant.

Banning said this week that he was unsure whether the prospective tenant would use the building now because the judge allowed Osburn to stay through December.

In its current location, Naughty But Nice violates a 2000 city ordinance that allows adult-themed stores only along a highway. Osburn had until 2005 to try to find a new location, and after an unsuccessful search, he faced charges in city court.

City prosecutor Jerry Little has said the city's only intention was to get Osburn out of the premises at 1741 Mass.

Discussion

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28 December 2007
at 8:01 a.m.

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Informed (Anonymous) says…

If Osburn relocates to just outside of city limits and then the city annexes that area, what happens to Osburn's business? Is it grandfathered in or will he again have to relocate? I realize that “just outside of city limits” will probably mean on a highway, thus nullifying the question. But seriously, I'm curious. Anyone? Baille?
28 December 2007
at 8:55 a.m.

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LMH (Anonymous) says…

just another witch-hunt in larryville………..
28 December 2007
at 9:04 a.m.

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Ragingbear (Anonymous) says…

A new business for Tanger Outlet?
28 December 2007
at 9:09 a.m.

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Valkyrie_of_Reason (Kathy Getto) says…

Good. I hope his business is successful wherever it ends up.
28 December 2007
at 9:15 a.m.

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newsreader (Anonymous) says…

I haven't been following this story, but whats the difference between this place and Pricillia's??
28 December 2007
at 9:28 a.m.

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butrflkisz (Anonymous) says…

Priscilla's is on a 23rd or K-10 thus being located on a hwy it is allowed to stay
28 December 2007
at 9:30 a.m.

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peachesncream (Anonymous) says…

newsreader osburns business is on a us state highway. and i hope where ever he goes i hope he keeps on sellin the SMUT as b3 puts it

28 December 2007
at 9:42 a.m.

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Marion (Marion Lynn) says…

Jerry Little is nothing more than the stooge for the megalomaniacal Judge McGrath; both of whom misuse their power base, both of whom should be disbarred in disgrace.

Jerry Little is typical of city prosecutors; they latch onto a plum job in government because they are so inept that they could not make it in private practice, otherwise known as the real world!

This whole thing was a deal made between certain parties in city government and the people who set up Family Video as an incentive to get FV to move into the old Sally building.

Dig around and maybe someone will talki.
28 December 2007
at 9:59 a.m.

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b_asinbeer (Anonymous) says…

I think sex shops are great places for you and significant others. It helps keep the passion alive. Nothing wrong and taboo about this.

Too bad the judge malone is a tool. Maybe he should visit this place more often.
28 December 2007
at 10:32 a.m.

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acg (Anonymous) says…

smut dealer? pervs-r-us? Seriously? You can't be serious with comments like that. You are adults, right? And you've had sex, I'm assuming? I feel so sad for people who were ruined by their parents, families and churches into thinking that sex is bad. I couldn't imagine being so uptight and repressed. Hey b3 & Mr. Ramirez, you should go visit Richard. I'm sure he has something, a lotion, video or toy that might help you relax a little. If nothing else, I suggest immediate appointments with your doctors. You know, to see about having that stick removed…..
28 December 2007
at 10:40 a.m.

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funkdog1 (Anonymous) says…

Sigh. I've said this before, and for some reason, I'll say it again. This whole issue goes back about 10 years now when Naughty but Nice first opened. (Yes! It's been 10 years!)

The original sign that the owner stuck up front of the business depicted two scantily clad cartoon women in a compromising position. You have to remember that this store is extremely near two public schools and at least one church. The people living behind the store were worried about their property values going down.

They went to the city and asked that an ordinance be drafted regarding the placement of businesses such as this one, as there wasn't one at the time. This meant that someone could theoretically open a strip club in the middle of downtown.

If the dude had been a good neighbor to begin with, and opened the business with the sign that's up now, I don't think anyone would have made a peep about his store.

There's no witch hunt. Most towns have ordinances regarding businesses such as this one. And the guy really kind of brought it on himself.
28 December 2007
at 11:10 a.m.

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snap_pop_no_crackle (Anonymous) says…

snap writes:

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28 December 2007
at 1:13 p.m.

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spacystaci8 (Anonymous) says…

if you don't like what the store sells don't go in, its that easy. Who really cares if someone wants to look at porn as long as its legal?
28 December 2007
at 1:15 p.m.

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timetospeakup (Anonymous) says…

I am as libertarian as they come, but this guy and his business is just creepy. Went in there once with friends and he gave us a hard time and wanted to charge a “cover charge” when we said we were just looking. One of my buddies ended up spending almost $100 there that night, but I was ready to walk. Sorry dude but you don't get to charge admission because you're “not running a museum for free” just because people aren't 100% sure what they want coming in and/or aren't going to talk to a creepy stranger about what weird fetish their girlfriend has.
28 December 2007
at 2:02 p.m.

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Disposable (Anonymous) says…

question - when the SLT gets built (wink, wink), and K-10 is then routed “around” Lawrence, will Priscilla's be forced to move?

28 December 2007
at 2:46 p.m.

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The_Voice_of_Reason (Anonymous) says…

Disposable… Most likely… the powers that be are too prude and too owned my the christain right to let it be grandfathered even though that should be how these kind of laws work on existing businesses. I'm willing to bet the fritzels or comptons have their eye on the priscilla's building for their next out of place 20 story hotel…
28 December 2007
at 3:27 p.m.

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geniusmannumber1 (Anonymous) says…

The pitbulls were vicious and needed to be put down….
28 December 2007
at 4:21 p.m.

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ilovelucy (Anonymous) says…

Time: I'm not sure that you were dealing with Richard that day. The Richard I know and respect would never threaten to charge a cover charge to look.
Richard is as decent and honest as they come. Dave Corliss has been on a witch hunt against him since before he became the City Manager.
Just the facts…..
28 December 2007
at 4:38 p.m.

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weluvbowling (Terri Irelan) says…

ilovelucy, Richard does charge a $1 cover charge if you are just looking…there is, or was, a sign on the door.

I think he did this due to all of the a holes that were coming in there to “rat” him out to the “uptights”.

Personally, I love going there! I have known Richard and Robert since we were kids. They are super nice guys. I refer everyone I know, who needs something “fun” or “relaxing” and if you don't know what you are looking for they are always eager to help a person out!

Lawrence is very biggeted, as their tshirts said! BTW, we bought two! LOL

I am very interested in knowing where Richard is moving to so that we can continue doing business with him in the future. I guess I had better get on the horn and call him so that the hubby and I can continue being pervs! :-)

Today, you can call us pervs r us all you want and we will definitely fit the bill! We not only luv bowling, we luv sex and good lovin'!
28 December 2007
at 4:38 p.m.

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RedwoodCoast (Anonymous) says…

I am all for these types of businesses being allowed to operate. Of course, some people are overly sensitive to the commodities being sold, but why should the people who shop at these places have to make concessions just to soothe those who have issues with that portion of their humanity.

I have been in NBN before and, as some others have noted, the proprietor was just a little weird. Now, you have to consider that not just anyone will decide to open and operate this type of business; they are probably going to be slightly different from you and me in particular ways. It doesn't, however, mean that they should be labled as undesirables.

I seem to remember a rumor about NBN floating around while I was an undergrad back around 2000-2003. The people I heard it from were members of a feminist group on campus, which may or may not be a red flag. Granted, feminists usually support these types of businesses, but they do tend to be as over-sensitive about certain things, much like the people wanting NBN to leave. The rumor was that the owner (or someone he knew) would go downtown to Mass street and ask to take photos of local girls. These photos would end up in two photo albums in some back room at NBN. One album contained photos of those girls who were supposedly “naughty” and the other those of girls who were supposedly “nice.” One apparently needed some sort of rapport with the owner to gain access to “the books”. A few of these feminists decided to see for themselves, and one rather “butch” girl dressed up as a man for an undercover sting operation. She apparently asked about the “book,” but the owner, as I recall, acted as though he knew nothing of it. Thus, as rumors go, who knows where the truth lies. It would, however, be pretty messed up if it were true.
28 December 2007
at 4:51 p.m.

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JayCat_67 (Anonymous) says…

Priscillas is a major chain and has a lot more money to fight the @$$clowns whose answer to everything they don't like is a new ordinance to get rid of it. If the SLT ever gets built (someone dig up my bones so I can see it please) they will probably just make 23rd St a business spur off K-10. Problem solved. As far as Richard's place, I'd probably never have even noticed the place if there were't such a stink raised about it to begin with. Heck, this fiasco has probably played a major role in his store staying open this long. (Well that and it is a sex shop, and I'm assuming at least some people still enjoy sex for reasons other than procreation.)
Oh Dorothy, in Lawrence you may take a little trip, but face it. You're still in Kansas.
28 December 2007
at 5:42 p.m.

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GretchenJP (Anonymous) says…

acg (Anonymous) says:

“smut dealer? pervs-r-us? Seriously? You can't be serious with comments like that. You are adults, right? And you've had sex, I'm assuming? I feel so sad for people who were ruined by their parents, families and churches into thinking that sex is bad. I couldn't imagine being so uptight and repressed. Hey b3 & Mr. Ramirez, you should go visit Richard. I'm sure he has something, a lotion, video or toy that might help you relax a little. If nothing else, I suggest immediate appointments with your doctors. You know, to see about having that stick removed:..”

hilarious!! And I'm in agreement… all the “uptightees” need to buy a toy and lighten up. It's not illegal so we can look at it if we want to. Grow up.
28 December 2007
at 8:10 p.m.

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Lynn731 (Anonymous) says…

I have been in there a number of times talking with Richard about this witch hunt. He is not weird at all. He is trying to run a legal business, and the city with more resources than he has, is trying to bully him into going out of business. I applaud him for fighting them as long as he has. The liberal city is using it's resources, taxpayer's money, to put a legal business out of business should show every resident of Lawrence how they could be treated. It should cause them to wake up and pay attention to this case whether they like what is being sold there or not. Thank you, Lynn

28 December 2007
at 9:04 p.m.

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BigPrune (Anonymous) says…

I've just come from the stockyards. We'd gotten reports of hundreds of cows had been senselessly slaughtered in the area, but I couldn't find any evidence. I stopped off for a hamburger and checked in with headquarters.

You see, I haven't had a date in years. It's true what they say: Cops and women don't mix. It's like eating a spoonful of Drano, sure it'll clean you out, but it'll leave you hollow inside.

It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Super Bowl.

Blow up dolls don't talk back. They also don't move unless you let the air out.
28 December 2007
at 9:53 p.m.

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GretchenJP (Anonymous) says…

BigPrune, you made me pee my pants.
28 December 2007
at 11:21 p.m.

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Bitterfalls (Anonymous) says…

Witch hunts kind of turn me on. Does NBN sell Witch hunt videos?

There are several places around town where I have wandered in only to be confronted by large depictions of a nearly naked man in a hardcore S&M pose and scenario. It was a scene concerning a total snuff situation.

And there where children all over in the place being forced to look at this smut!

I was so offended that I never went back to those places.
I didnt like it, so I never went back. Thats my right and freedom.

But I am not asking that those churches be forced to move out to the highway.
29 December 2007
at 5:20 p.m.

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nbnozzy (Anonymous) says…

Setting the stories straight:

funkdog….NBN has been opened only 8 years, not 10. The original sign did not have 2 scantily clad women in a compromising position. They just posed and it wasn't of a suggestive nature. I still have pics of those signs to prove my point. So, you are WRONG. Secondly, Richard opened his business in a totally legal matter, which means he didn't bring on the bad press, just a couple of nutso's and this includes Corliss, did. Get a clue before you open your mouth.
29 December 2007
at 5:30 p.m.

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nbnozzy (Anonymous) says…

for “timetospeakup”:

We were forced to weed out the deatbeats who only wanted to come into the store for free giggles. When you do that, you are not a customer but a loiterer. And it costs money every time you open that door to heat and cool the place. NBN doesn't exist for your free enjoyment. It's a business, plain and simple. And if you do have those weird fetishes that you spoke of, then you should do your buying on-line where you don't have to fear the opinion of the clerk selling to you. That friend of yours that spent money is a customer, you're what business people call a “free loader”.
29 December 2007
at 5:49 p.m.

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nbnozzy (Anonymous) says…

to RedwoodCoast:

That's the bizarrest story about NBN that I've ever heard. Funny, but totally untrue. The only photo albums we have are of the remodel we did in 1999 and there are two albums of pics my brother took during the AVN (adult video news) show in Las Vegas over the years and those are only R-rated. Anyone is free to see them, nothing to hide here. I guess rumors are made about any business, but those about an adult novelty store are bound to be more outrageous. Thanks for the laugh.
29 December 2007
at 6:19 p.m.

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sheshapes (Anonymous) says…

It's fascinating to me that people around these parts toss their weight around to legislate honest small businesses out (ones that may even promote healthy physical, as well as love-making activity) based on a weird outdated puritan sexual aesthetics that appeal to a small segment of the population (not even large enough to make a good show on this thread). And, at the same time this town opens the doors wide to a second Wal-Mart because some consumers may not want to drive all the way down south of Iowa to the existing Wal-Mart. Priorities, people. Priorities. Where are the real values in this god/dess forsaken town?

This is just speculation purely based on observation, but I suspect the city has plans for south mass that don't include small business. My two cents.
29 December 2007
at 6:35 p.m.

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sheshapes (Anonymous) says…

nbnozzy (Anonymous) says:

for “timetospeakup”:

We were forced to weed out the deatbeats who only wanted to come into the store for free giggles. When you do that, you are not a customer but a loiterer. And it costs money every time you open that door to heat and cool the place. NBN doesn't exist for your free enjoyment. It's a business, plain and simple. And if you do have those weird fetishes that you spoke of, then you should do your buying on-line where you don't have to fear the opinion of the clerk selling to you. That friend of yours that spent money is a customer, you're what business people call a “free loader”.
**************************************************************************
nbnozzy, didn't you ever have shy customers where it obviously took a lot of courage for them to visit, and answering questions regarding what they want would only further embarrass them? So they respond by saying they're just looking around? I would think that suggesting they are pervs and charging a cover would only dissuade them from ever visiting this store (or any store like it) ever again!

29 December 2007
at 7:25 p.m.

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nbnozzy (Anonymous) says…

sheshapes:

Sure I've had shy customers. But after being in the business for 8 years I have learned to realize who comes into the store to shop and those who are just in to waste my time. Every person who enters the door is greeted with a friendly “hello”. By noticing their response I can usually tell if they are serious about making a purchase or just taking up space. I don't expect a sale from everyone who walks in that door, but I do want them to be serious about possibly buying. Some people take as many as 4 or 5 trips in to get the courage to talk to me and say what they are really there for and others make it known at the front door that they NO intention of spending money and are there to “just look around”. And that's where I have to make the judgement on “customer” and “bum”. We are all on this earth because our parents had S-E-X and its no big deal. NBN doesn't judge peoples orientations or purchases. As long as your money isn't “funny” and the credit card you use is in YOUR name, it's none of my business what you buy. I truly don't care about your bedroom antics. I'll not remember what you bought from me tomorrow anyway. I have other things to occupy my mind. Everything in the store is legal to sell so I say “live and let live” to the buying public. “Bums” can go window shopping elsewhere.
29 December 2007
at 9:56 p.m.

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sheshapes (Anonymous) says…

nbnozzy (Anonymous) says:

sheshapes:

Sure I've had shy customers. But after being in the business for 8 years I have learned to realize who comes into the store to shop and those who are just in to waste my time. Every person who enters the door is greeted with a friendly “hello”. By noticing their response I can usually tell if they are serious about making a purchase or just taking up space. I don't expect a sale from everyone who walks in that door, but I do want them to be serious about possibly buying. Some people take as many as 4 or 5 trips in to get the courage to talk to me and say what they are really there for and others make it known at the front door that they NO intention of spending money and are there to “just look around”. And that's where I have to make the judgement on “customer” and “bum”. We are all on this earth because our parents had S-E-X and its no big deal. NBN doesn't judge peoples orientations or purchases. As long as your money isn't “funny” and the credit card you use is in YOUR name, it's none of my business what you buy. I truly don't care about your bedroom antics. I'll not remember what you bought from me tomorrow anyway. I have other things to occupy my mind. Everything in the store is legal to sell so I say “live and let live” to the buying public. “Bums” can go window shopping elsewhere.

**************************************************************************

I appreciate this honest response, and understand. But still, haven't you ever worried about pre-judging someone based on what you observed (much like the business who displays the sign “You're in America. Please speak English here.”
29 December 2007
at 11:12 p.m.

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Marion (Marion Lynn) says…

So what's wrong with asking that English be used as the primary method of communication in a business?

As far as sexuality goes, we in the America are probably the most sexually repressed in the world.

You can thank Jesus for that!

Ever notice that when the televangelists are talking about sex , the Virgin Mary, Mary Magnalene or sin, they are all sweaty?

It ain't the lights.
29 December 2007
at 11:24 p.m.

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nbnozzy (Anonymous) says…

We all pre-judge people in life and I do the best I can for my business. I may not be 100% accurate all the time but I do know my customer base very well and will stick to my instincts. It has worked well in 8 years. I am never worried about weeding out the bums because they in fact, have scared off paying customers by trying to hang around in the store. Every person should try running a retail business for a year or two and live in the shoes of the proprietor so they will understand the types of people that they will encounter. Most folks in Lawrence are great but there is a small percentage that are a pain to deal with and I am not talking about this specific business but in any retail setting.
30 December 2007
at 2:20 a.m.

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more_cowbell (Anonymous) says…

NBN is less of a problem than a good deal of the bars in town, in terms of unsavory after-effects of patronizing the business. I never had to step over puddles of puke, for instance (or any other discharge, for that matter)… :-/

NBN has better stuff than Priscilla's too, so hopefully it will find a good place to relocate. Perhaps just beyond the latest new subdivision out west past 6th and Wak., convenient to the K-10 interchange… or is Lawrence planning to annex everything up to Topeka?

Get your panties untwisted, Larrytown, and get *down* wif yo kinky side… don't be hatin' on the sex toys :-p
30 December 2007
at 4:42 a.m.

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Bitterfalls (Anonymous) says…

Maybe some people like and get off on twisted panties?
It's not my thing. But I can shop for my fetish items at Cottin's Hardware and Dillons.

It is funny how “Liberal Lawrence” is actually so much more uptight about such things then “Conservative Topeka”.
3 January 2008
at 2:32 a.m.

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RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Anonymous) says…

http://www.operationsouthwind.org/