Issue date: 10/6/04 Section: News

College Station's Adult Video store on Texas Ave., has been forced to shut its doors due to re-zoning laws and charges of racketeering, obscenity, fraud and income tax evasion by the federal government.

Located across the street from campus near one of the busiest intersections in College Station, Adult Video stood as a highly visible landmark. Students and community members are divided over the impact its closing will have.

John Kenneth Coil, owner of the 58-store chain, is accused of avoiding between $2.5 million and $5 million in taxes. He will forfeit $187,000 worth of his property in Brazos County, losing a total of 45 properties in Texas to the federal government. He has also been charged with obscenity for transporting a film called "Nympho Bride" across the state border, according to The Eagle.

Coil faces up to 10 years in prison, The Eagle reports.

Linda Martinez is a supervisor at the Denny's restaurant next to the former Adult Video location.

"It never really affected our business," Martinez said. "We never had any problems with them."

Martinez said strong fences make for good neighbors.

"I'd never say anything bad about them," Martinez said. "We had a big fence there between our lots and they were just like any other business."

Sophomore biomedical sciences major Meredith Clancy says the closing may potentially be a blow to civil rights.

"As a liberal person I feel that if they closed due to the legality of their existence, that's fine," Clancy said. "But it'd be tragic to lose a business just because some people thought it was immoral or unclean."

A former employee of a nearby business, who asked to withhold her employer and last name, said the store caused problems for her operation.

Margaret, who worked next to the store for two years, said the difficulties didn't stem from the business itself, but from its clientele.

"Some of its patrons weren't quite ethical," Margaret said. "We'd find used condoms on our back lot, empty alcohol containers and a lot adult novelty items you could tell were used."

Margaret said the problems ceased when she went to the police, who stationed officers nearby to make sure there were no problems.

"Other than that it's a good marker if you're ever giving someone directions. Everyone knows where the Adult Video is," Margaret said.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools