Columbia, SC from www.wltx.com – – Members of Columbia City Council and business leaders expressed their frustration Tuesday about the Taboo Adult Superstore coming to a retail area.

A packed house was present for the specially called meeting to discuss the shop.

“There are certain things I would look for [in terms of new businsses] that are good things and certain things that are bad things,” said Herbert Ames, the Development Manager for the company who brought Whole Foods to Columbia.

“From a retailer’s standpoint, this type of business is an absolute no no.”

News 19 first told you about the store last week that will open soon at 4716 Devine Street. The store will sell adult products and require shoppers to be at least 18.

Ames estimated the store would negatively impact the surrounding retail economy by more than $30 million.

City leaders say that could be one of many secondary negative impacts. Others include more crime and depreciated real estate values.
“I think the ripple effects could bring us to a screeching halt,” said Mayor Steve Benjamin. “It would set us back a decade or more.”

The store is in compliance with the City of Columbia’s zoning ordinances. The most recent ordinance was passed in 1998.

“What can we do? We are still scurrying to figure that out,” said Councilwoman Leona Plaugh, whose district the store falls in. “Obviously, every business has the opportunity to locate somewhere but we can’t zone a business out of the city. On the other hand, we have to use zoning to guide that development.”