SALINAS, Calif. – Merchants are unhappy about the 24-hour operation of the L’Amour Shoppe adult book and sex toy store, saying the city’s only porn shop is a magnet for prostitution.

The parking lot for the East Alisal Street and nearby streets have become a lure for men cruising the redevelopment area for sex, business owners said.

“If the adult book store wasn’t there, would we have prostitution in that area? Honestly, no,” said David Brown, president of the Salinas United Business Association.

But L’Amour manager Ray Tagaloguin contends prostitution is bad for his business as well, and the store has increased security to prevent crime from occurring on its property.

“We try to control cruising in the parking lot,” Tagaloguin said. “What these people do outside, I have no control of it.” A security guard is present on weekends, and store owners have installed more surveillance cameras inside and outside the building, Tagaloguin said.

Sgt. Jeff Gibson said the adult book store has been vigilant about having security on its premises. But prostitutes and their customers use the business as an excuse for loitering in the area, Gibson said.

Doug Kenyon, general manager of BFI Waste Services behind L’Amour, said the sex shop draws prostitution, but the surrounding drug addicts and homeless people also fuel the sex trade.

The drug network that is spread out along the adjoining railroad tracks and the homeless shelter and soup kitchen on Soledad Street attracts lawbreakers, Tagaloguin said.

“The area right here is not a great area,” he said. “Wherever you go, there is always prostitution.”

Officer Richard Lopez, who is assigned to the area, said he is working with the Monterey County district attorney’s office to get prostitution offenders banned from the area as part of their probation.