Sex Shop Allowed to Remain Open Pending Hearing

A Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday that a controversial Studio City sex shop can remain open pending the outcome of an April hearing in a lawsuit filed by the shop’s owners against the city of Los Angeles.

The owners of Le Sex Shoppe at 12323 Ventura Blvd. filed suit Friday against the city because the City Council had denied their request to continue operating the shop until 1991, said G. Randall Garrou, an attorney for the shop. The lawsuit seeks to overturn the decision to close the shop, Garrou said.

Superior Court Judge Kurt J. Lewin ruled that the shop, which is operated by Erotic World Pictures, could remain open pending the outcome of the hearing, which is scheduled April 14.

Deputy City Atty. Thomas A. Kathe said that a 1986 city ordinance requires sexually oriented establishments to move by the end of March, 1988, if they are within 500 feet of residences. Kathe said that many businesses with long-term leases, such as Le Sex Shoppe, applied for three-year extensions.

The City Council voted unanimously Feb. 1 to reject the shop’s request for an extension and ordered it to close by today. City zoning officials concluded that Le Sex Shoppe, which includes a bookstore and video arcade, violates another city ordinance prohibiting more than one adult business from operating under one roof, Kathe said.

General-Interest Films

The shop’s owners said that five of the arcade’s eight viewing booths show general-interest films, such as “Crocodile Dundee,� so it should not be considered an adult establishment.

“It’s a technical issue,� Garrou said. “We contend that there is only one� adult business on the site--the bookstore.

The Le Sex Shoppe chain operates 23 stores in Southern California, including four in the San Fernando Valley. Although the Studio City shop was denied an extension, Le Sex Shoppes in Sherman Oaks, North Hollywood and Canoga Park were granted extensions in April, 1988.

The Studio City shop long has been criticized by city officials and neighborhood residents, who maintain that it contributes to crime in the area. Since February, 1986, police have made 24 lewd-conduct arrests at the shop.

In a separate case, Los Angeles City Atty. James K. Hahn filed a nuisance-abatement lawsuit on Jan. 31 against the owners of the Studio City Le Sex Shoppe to force them to increase security and discourage criminal activity in or around the premises. No hearing date has been scheduled.