North Carolina- Adult retailer Greg Sakas has pretty much been told by lawyers what he can or can’t say at this juncture. But Sakas who’s fighting a beef in the state of North Carolina www.adultfyi.com/read.php?ID=21571 over what he can or can’t stock in his stores is pretty clear about the fact that the adult industry so far has been paying him a lot of lip service.
At the time the police raided his store in January, Sakas was stocking movies, novelties and magazines.
Sakas, whose legal bills may come to $250,000 before his case is settled, would like to hear more than just an attaboy.
I spoke to Sakas yesterday and besides battling a sense of frustration, he’s wondering aloud whether the adult industry backs people who sell its product.
“Do you think I’m going to get any backing to help me?” he asks. I have to tell Sakas, frankly, from what I’ve seen over the years he may be fighting his fight alone. I’ve never seen it done on an individual basis.
I tell Sakas, however, he may get a Freedom Isn’t Free Award if that’s any consolation. Sakas doesn’t sound too impressed.
“I don’t give a shit,” he says. “I’m not Larry Flynt. But I’ve got to fight my battles. Will I fight this? I will probably fight it but before it’s over with, I don’t want any thank-yous from the people whose ass I’m saving. I’m doing it because I don’t feel it’s right what they did. This is bullshit.
“But we’re talking a quarter of a million dollars- I can’t do this,” continues Sakas, breaking down his finances store-by-store. And he has ten of them in ther state of North Carolina.
“I know everybody doesn’t give a shit,” he states. “This is ridiculous. If somebody came to me and this happened in the state and I knew what it was going to take, I wouldn’t mind giving a $1,000 per store. But if I’m sitting here fighting this alone how in the hell am I going to fight this when you’re talking about taking on the state of North Carolina?”
Sakas hasn’t talked to Free Speech.
“I’ve called a couple of times- I haven’t got an answer,” he says. “I haven’t got anything.”
Sakas, who’s also an accountant, wonders whether it’s even worth staying in business. His partner is telling him screw it and shut down the operation.
“He’s saying the hell with it- let them come after everybody then,” says Sakas. “But is that the right thing to do? I don’t think it is.”
Sakas sounds like he’s firmly wedged between a rock and a hard place.
“Maybe if these adult companies knew they’re not going to have any novelties or any damn movies in the state,” Sakas conjectures. He wonders even whether adult retailers are making solid amounts of money to warrant the risks. I tell him some are, you can bet on it.
“I’ve had people call me and say they’re with me,” states Sakas. “I said what can you do? Send me 100 movies. That’s income. Then they say, well, we’ve got to talk to some people. Fine, fuck it.”
Sakas has also talked to a couple of his distributors and was told they’d see what they could do.
“Anything’s better than nothing, but I just can’t believe that no one in this industry is willing to do anything other than to say we’re with you,” Sakas declares. “I’ll fight this but anyone that’s not willing to support, tells me right there what they get is what they deserve. There should be a fund and how many people can’t afford to put $500 towards a fund?”
Sakas says he’s also contacted Adam & Eve, pretty much the biggest adult business in the state. So far he’s heard nothing.