Retailer Tokyo Valentino Challenges Business License Revocation

MARIETTA, Ga.—City Council here will decide tomorrow night whether Tokyo Valentino can remain open under the city’s current zoning laws. In June, the Council revoked Tokyo Valentino’s business license after it determined the retail store, originally classified as selling “general merchandise,” wasn’t given approval to sell 80 to 90 percent of its sexually oriented items. Tomorrow, the Council will determine if the store, which sells adult toys, lingerie, massagers, smoking accessories and jewelry, can remain open under the city’s current zoning laws. The store has been open for four years. Tokyo Valentino CEO Michael Morrison, who manages the Marietta store along with four other branded stores in the Atlanta metropolitan area, told the Council at a previous hearing his business does not fall into Marietta’s classification for adult entertainment businesses. “We’ve been there for a long time, and we’ve peacefully co-existed and I have no idea what is driving this,” Morrison told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Tokyo Valentino also opened a store last year in Sandy Springs. That Georgia city initially cited the store for using more than 25 percent of its space to sell adult items. The store later came into compliance by relocating items inside the store. Catch a live stream of tomorrow night’s Marietta City Council meeting on the city's website.