New local lingerie shop offers unique services, zoning concerns

"It's 40 minutes for $40," the bleached-blonde, buxom employee told me. "Tips start at $20."\nIt was me, her and a strange, bearded man strong in gait with plaster sprinkled on his gray T-shirt. It was then, for a swift moment, that I thought "Live Modeling" would be the end of me.\nSometimes even the promise of lingerie goes unnoticed among the bustling and busy commutes during the opening weeks of fall semester in Bloomington, yet nothing with the promise of skin ever stays beneath the radar for long.\nFor roughly the past week, Harry Eads of Indianapolis -- who refused to be interviewed for this story -- opened the doors on what the marquee announces as "Live Modeling and Lingerie," a retail/cabaret of sorts here in Bloomington, where customers can hand-pick items of lingerie for purchase. But upon request, they can be treated to a private, live modeling session.\nUntil after the Labor Day weekend, however, Bloomington officials were in the dark about exactly what this business, located on the corner of North College Avenue and 14th Street, coincidentally across from the College Adult Bookstore, was planning to offer the north side district.\nZoning Compliance Planner Jason Zimmermann stated that the city hadn't received any notice of new work being conducted, let alone what type of business was being set up in the building. After the owners opted to upgrade their temporary banner announcing "Live Models" with a permanent sign advertising the same, the zoning offices received a call. \n"We had just been alerted Friday before the weekend," Zimmermann said. "We had no idea what was going on."\nCurrently the building is zoned for General Commercial use, and under the current Bloomington zoning ordinance, nothing outright prohibits lingerie fashion shows -- provided Eads complies with the routine "change of use" permit and the mandates of the planning commission. Talks and cooperation with city officials began Wednesday afternoon, and Eads will be covered, Zimmerman said.\nBut, the unique nature of the business was called into question by some in Bloomington's adult entertainment industry. Larry Holtz, owner of Night Moves strip club, isn't buying.\n"Sounds like they're skating around the nudity laws," Holtz said. "It's a masturbation joint, that's really what it is."\nBut, according to the current Bloomington zoning ordinance, Eads isn't skating on anything particularly thin. \nAs it stands today, the ordinance makes no mention of adult entertainment under the permitted uses sections of any of the zoning districts. Zimmermann was quick to note that such an application would be unfitting.\nChanges to the ordinance are being proposed for possibly the next year, some of which will specifically address the issue of adult entertainment. \nNews of theses changes rests easily with Holtz, provided existing businesses are taken into consideration and only new enterprises are held to the new standards if and when they are put into effect. \n"I've been through too many wars with the council," Holtz said.\n-- Contact staff writer JP Benitez at jbenitez@indiana.edu .