Adult book store may have new home on Third Street

It appears La Crosse's adult book store will move to 405-407 S. Third St.

The city purchased Best Buy Books' current location on Jay Street for its new transit center site. Brian Benson, owner of the Jay Street property, has said the store will move by July 1.

Benson did not return Tribune telephone calls Friday about a new location.

But the city's Board of Public Works on Friday approved a streetprivilege permit for a vinyl awning at 405-407 S. Third St. Plans for the awning showed the word "Pleasures" on it.

And A&B Properties, which owns the building at 405-407 S. Third St., has taken out permits from the city's Inspection Department to do $50,000 in retail remodeling at 405 S. Third St.

According to assessor's office records, A&B Properties is at 326 West Ave. N., the same location as Benson Management.

The city paid Benson $256,106 for the property at 314-316 Jay St. and is awaiting claims for the relocation.

According to Inspection Department records, the building at 405-407 S. Third St. was the Hellwig Morris Funeral Home into the 1960s, an antique shop named Red Rocker in 1974 and Models Unlimited in the 1980s.

Downtown business owner John Satory, who owns the building next to 405-407 S. Third St., said at one- time the building held an adult bookstore and a studio for taking models' photos. He said people were upset because the bookstore was next to a baseball card shop for children.

Satory said another property owner on the block told him he understands 405-407 S. Third St. will be an adult book store downstairs and a lingerie shop upstairs.

The city cannot stop the relocation because the property is zoned commercial.

Copyright La Crosse Tribune Jun 12, 2005
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