[UPDATED] The Naughty Teddy vs. Fullerton Prudes

UPDATE, MARCH 16, 8:16 A.M.: An Orange County Superior Court judge has ruled in favor of the city of Fullerton proceeding with its misdemeanor criminal case against the Naughty Teddy adult shop. In July 2010, two months after the shop opened at 129 W. Commonwealth Ave., owner Dawn Aquino was charged with lying to get a city business license, while she and co-owner Lanny Cohen were also accused of operating an adult store in an area not properly zoned for it.
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Kimberly Wolfe, who covers Fullerton for Examiner.com, has the scoop.

TheNaughtyTeddy.com
The scene of the criminal complaints.

The shop owners, through their attorney, veteran adult-industry defender Roger Jon Diamond, had filed a three-part motion seeking to dismiss the case because the city's adult-business-license permit process is too lengthy, unconstitutionally vague and nearly impossible to get.

But Superior Court Judge Nicholas S. Thompson of the Fullerton North
Justice Center denied the motions, calling them “too much of a leap and
too speculative.”

According to the Examiner post, the Naughty Teddy will apply for an adult-use permit so Diamond can argue against the store's need for it. The owners claim it is not an adult business and the shop has never even been visited by cops.

Well, at least not in uniform.

In a bit of comedy that ends Wolfe's post, liberal Democrat Diamond sounds like a libertarian Orange County Register editorial-page writer.

“It's hard in California to start a business,” Diamond reportedly says. “Government regulations are strangling our society.”

Like a cock ring.


ORIGINAL POST, JAN. 12, 8:08 A.M.: Most of Dan Miller's story on a 7-month-old store in Fullerton is rather blasé. The Naughty Teddy at 129 W. Commonwealth Ave. hawks lingerie mostly, fulfilling a desire Anaheim native Dawn Aquino had to start a new career after leaving her tax-filing business.

But about three-quarters into the piece, it's clear all is not well in Naughty Teddyland. While sexy undies and sleepwear account for 75 percent of what's on the shop's shelves, the other 25 percent is devoted to sex toys, lubes and DVDs. Miller's article is not for the Orange County Business Journal, but rather XBIZ.com, an adult-industry news service.

Shop until you bop.​The Naughty Teddy has apparently drawn a steady stream of customers, from couples and women who would not dare to enter Spanky's to exotic dancers and students from Fullerton College and Cal State Fullerton. It's also apparently drawn the ire of uptight city fathers and mamas. Writes Miller:

While the store has blended in seamlessly with neighboring businesses since it opened on May 7, its presence has not come without some backlash from the conservative-leaning city of Fullerton, which has determined the Naughty Teddy should be classified as an adult business, rather than a clothing store with accessories.

The store has enlisted the services of attorney Roger Jon Diamond, who has represented many adult businesses that have clashed with Orange County municipalities. City Hall threats are tracked on SaveTheNaughtyTeddy.org.

But other than friction from the city, it's been no big whoop, Aquino tells Miller:

“It's been challenging, but we've had great support,” Aquino said. “We haven't had any problems, nobody's picketed. Nobody has damaged the building. Nothing really bad has happened.

She continued, “Nobody's come in and actually said anything. We are right down the street from the police department.”

Insert your own built-in-S&M-bondage-gear-customer-base joke here.

The piece goes on to reveal the Naughty Teddy is trying to be a good community neighbor by regularly participating in charitable causes, including an AIDS Walk, Toys for Tots and Orange County Gay Pride. The store's next “Rocky Horror Picture Show Night,” which raises money for breast-cancer research, is scheduled from midnight until 3 a.m. Jan. 23-24 at the store.

A toast!

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