Two Nude Dancing Arcades Shut Down

Thu., Nov. 18, 1999

By Tom Sowa toms@spokesman.com (509) 459-5492

The operator of two Spokane nude-dancing and X-rated video arcades closed down both businesses after pleading guilty this week to violating city adult-entertainment laws.

Robert Wolf, owner of Book City, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Spokane Municipal Court to four misdemeanor violations of Spokane’s arcade regulations.

Wolf, a Montana resident, closed down the arcades that operate in his two businesses, Book City and East Sprague Adult Bookstore. The two businesses are side-by-side on the 2000 block of East Sprague.

The two businesses had about 45 small seating booths where patrons watched videos or live dancers, Deputy Prosecutor Patti Walker said.

“As part of the plea agreement, Wolf agreed to discontinue the arcade portions of those businesses,” Walker said Wednesday.

Wolf can still sell videos, merchandise and books inside the two businesses, Walker said.

He agreed to pay a total of $1,750 in fines for the violations, which resulted from two visits this fall to the arcades by city regulatory officers, Walker said.

Wolf would have had to remodel both arcades in order to continue allowing nude dancing or videos, Walker said.

Wolf’s Spokane attorney, Jeffrey Finer, could not be reached for comment.

The four violations that Wolf pleaded guilty to include inadequate lighting, allowing locks on video booth doors, failing to have an employee on duty at all times to monitor the booths, and failing to ensure that a person standing inside the main room would be able to see inside every viewing booth.

The closures leave only two other X-rated video arcades operating in the city, Walker said. Those are World Wide Video at 1811 E. First and Spokane Arcade, 1125 W. First.

Similar code citations have been filed against the owners of those businesses, Walker said. Pretrial hearings on those charges are set for December.

With the closing of nude dancing at Book City, only the Deja Vue Night Club, 8211 E. Sprague, offers that type of entertainment in Spokane County.

The city’s restrictions on adult entertainment were adopted in 1993. It wasn’t until 1998 that state courts upheld the city’s authority to restrict those businesses, Walker said.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.