PEABODY — If a South Hadley entrepreneur gets his way, the North Shore will have another adult shop on Route 1 South.
Scott MacGregor is seeking a special permit to open an Adam & Eve store in the plaza with Wow! Work Out World, Namco Pool, and the Mass Bay Hockey Center.
A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 13, in the City Council chamber.
“These types of stores are very difficult to get open because the people who show up at these hearings are under the mistaken belief that it will bring prostitution and child pornography,” said MacGregor. “It’s ridiculous. We are a very upscale type of store. Our customers are from all walks of life: blue collar workers, lawyers and politicians.”
If approved, the 5,960-square-foot space will offer vibrators, handcuffs, bondage tape, collars and leashes, and a selection of sexy lingerie, satin and lace corsets, body stockings, naughty costumes, lubes and oils, and male enhancement products.
The front of the shop will display the lingerie, clothes, shoes, and boots, and contain two dressing rooms, according to the application filed with the City Clerk. The rear section will feature adult-themed pleasure products.
Adam & Eve is not the only adult retailer on Route 1. The shop will face competition from Amazing Intimate Essentials, which has a store nearby on Route 1 South.
MacGregor said an approval process that should take weeks took him 28 months to open his first Adam & Eve store in western Massachusetts, and a second took nearly two years.
“As a result, I decided to try the North Shore,” he said. “There’s high traffic volume along Route 1 and hopefully it will go through and be an added value to the community.”
His application in Peabody included a letter of recommendation from Lisa Davol, membership manager at the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.
“Adam & Eve has been a member in good standing of the chamber and has participated in our community for seven years,” she wrote. “We think they will be a fine addition in any community in which they choose to do business.”
City Councilor-at-Large Ryan Melville said he has not seen the application for the store and will withhold comment until he does.
Councilor-at–Large Anne Manning–Martin said she will have an open mind about whether to grant the special permit.
“I don’t have an opinion one way or another and they have every right to appear before the council like everybody else,” she said “I’m happy to hear their presentation and give them a fair hearing.”
Ward 5 City Councilor Joel Saslaw, whose district includes Route 1, said he has not heard from his constituents about the Adam & Eve proposal.
“I am looking forward to hearing from the applicant and my colleagues,” he said. “I have no preconceived notion about the proposal and I will keep an open mind.”
