BATON ROUGE, La (BRPROUD)– New businesses are popping up across Livingston Parish. One particular shop geared toward adults, gained the attention of the Livingston Parish Council.
Right off of a main highway in Denham Springs a new local business called Frenzies was causing a lot of chatter.
Co-owner of Frenzies Kayla Lee says, “it was pretty easy sailing until Maegan got the phone call from the permit office saying that we are not really sure how you slipped through the cracks, there is an ordinance against it.”
This business is different than most in the area in that it specialized in sexual products such as lingerie, adult toys, and performance enhancement products.
Co-owner of Frenzies Maegan Williams says, “my husband wanted to open up a business, and I told him that if we were going to open up a business, then it was going to be something that even COVID couldn’t hurt.”
A Denham Springs community member says, “it’s kind of shocking for a novelty shop to come to Denham Springs, you never thought that would come here after being born and raised here.”
All the talk prompted the Livingston Parish Council to take a look.
District 4 Livingston Parish Councilman John Wascom says, “when I first got the call from the permit office that said we have a law that prohibits this, we’ll ask how’d you find it?
The parish voted 8 to 1 and recertified the permit.
Wascom says, “and at that point, we got together as a council and in essence, we just approved a variance for that, basically that’s what we’ve done so they can go ahead and open.”
However, they planned to amend the ordinance.
“Look, instead of having one law to cover everything, let’s break it down to show what we want what we don’t want,” said Wascom.
Some welcomed the new business.
Wascom says, “everyone I’ve spoken to has been like. thank you John for helping small businesses grow.”
While others were a little hesitant.
A Denham Springs community member says., “it’s right across from our public library and that’s where a lot of kids are at and so that just brings up conversations parents probably wouldn’t want for their kids like mommy what’s that store.’
Some were even concerned it might bring about other businesses.
“Someone even mentioned that if this ordinance wasn’t in place, then it might allow strip clubs in Livingston Parish which would not be true,” said Wascom.
Frenzies and its owners were given freedom to continue their renovations and to open.
The general consensus from the council was that they would support amending the ordinance.
Amending the ordinance would allow the council to get rid of what they consider to be the outdated and overreaching laws, while also protecting the community from unwanted business.