Friday, 13 Feb 2009
HOUSTON - A major battle is brewing at the Harris County Civil Courthouse. The city of Houston wants to shut down what they call a sexually oriented business operating illegally and without license.
Tryst Boutique sits just off the North Freeway just before the beltway, and what goes on inside has the city of Houston trying to shut it down. “This is an adult arcade operating illegally and the city is asking the court to close it and shut it down," Assistant City Attorney Thomas Sultan said.
Houston investigators say triple x movies are shown in 28 small dark booths at the business. Attorneys for the city say the company doesn't have an adult arcade permit to operate and therefore they're breaking the law.
The city ultimately wants to shut down the entire business but for now they're going after the arcade or video booths inside. The fate of the full operation will be decided at a trial in June.
The owner of Tryst, William Becker, was in court. They brought along samples of what's sold in the store and shown in the arcade to prove the store is not all adult.
"Initially, they were in adult business, and they made a business decision that they were gonna change the focus to be more of a store for lovers than an adult business," the store’s spokesman Richard Kuniansky said.
The owners of Tryst said because more than 50 percent of their merchandise is not consider pornographic, and more than 50 percent of the movies shown are not adult they shouldn't be required to get a permit.
A judge will likely make a decision on the injunction to temporary close Tryst next week.
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