The owner of a store stocked with adult videos, books and novelties says she wants to sexually liberate Cincinnati.

        But parents, teachers and the principal of an Over-the-Rhine school less than a block away say she should take her message somewhere else.

        They are demanding help from city officials and lawyers to make sure that when Elyse's Passion opens for business Tuesday, it won't stay open for long.

Elyse Metcalf plans to open a shop in Over-the-Rhine that will sell sexually explicit items. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        “The owners may be very nice people, but this is not tolerable,” said Jeff Brokamp, principal of the School for Creative and Performing Arts. “Anyone who has a child would prefer the city not allow a store selling these items 100 feet away from a school building.”

        Elyse Metcalf, store owner, says she doesn't see the problem. She also said she doesn't think there is much the city can do, because the merchandise is no different from what she has been selling for nearly a year at her store in Northside.

        “The only contact I had with the city was when beat cops stopped by to say hi,” she said. “I'm not expecting any problems.”

        Councilman Phil Heimlich, who pushed for the city's tough sexually oriented business ordinance, says he doesn't know whether the store violates that law or not — but he said police will be there when it opens.

        “It's quite simple. If a significant portion of the store's merchandise is sexually oriented, then two things will happen,” he said. “The owners will charged with a misdemeanor for operating without a permit, and the city will take civil action against them for zoning violations.”

        Mr. Heimlich said the ordinance would not allow a sexually oriented business within 1,000 feet of a school.

        “Our law is one of the toughest in the United States,” he said. “We made it as tough as the law allows.”

        Inside the small store — with windows obscured by purple blinds — shelves are lined with adult videos and books. A spinner rack of greeting cards has been set in one corner and a wall display of sexual aids is slowly getting stocked.

        Despite the themes, Ms. Metcalf said she isn't running a sex business and isn't governed by the city ordinance. But she does see a mission beyond the cash register.

        “I want to make mainstream what used to be considered sexually deviant behavior,” she said.

        Near the front door is a board that Ms. Metcalf calls her ""Hall of Sexual Shame.” Mr. Heimlich is named at the top, followed by Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis Jr., County Prosecutor Mike Allen and business owner Carl Lindner, among others.

        “Sexual shame is far-reaching,” Ms. Metcalf said, explaining that she wants to help people to appreciate their own sexuality.

        “When I heard on the news that two young women, two female students, thought (the store) was disgusting, it affirmed my mission more than ever,” said Ms. Metcalf, who last year quit her job as a court reporter to open her store. “That two young women associate sex with disgust is more obscene than anything I would sell in my store.”

        Mr. Brokamp said what it comes down to is that parents are not going to accept such a store near a school attended by children from fourth grade through high school.

        And he agrees with their efforts to create an organized opposition.

        Despite Ms. Metcalf's promise that no one under 21 will be admitted, Mr. Brokamp said children can't help knowing it's there.

        “I guarantee you that every student in this school building will know about the store within two days, whether they go in there or not,” he said.

        Outside the school Thursday, 17-year-old Andrea Davis said she didn't know about the store and doubted it would affect her at all.

        “I don't think it would upset me,” she said, “for the simple fact that it's up to me to go in a store, look at the stuff and buy it.”

        Which, she added, she won't.

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