The adult bookstore, which includes video booths, was able to open in February 2000 in Pulaski Township since the township ordinance limiting adult businesses had been improperly advertised.

One of the township's attempts to stop Adultland from operating included a licensing ordinance enacted in May 2000 compelling Adultland and its employees to apply for licenses.

The business application fee is $500 the first year then $200 annually; the employee licenses are $50 every year.

Boron finally complied with the ordinance in February 2001 but his license application was denied based on hours of operation and having an employee who hadn't applied for the employee license.

The ordinance allows hours of operation to be 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Boron claims Adultland can be open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. because of hours set by Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Ralph Pratt in a court decision late last year. It is still open during those hours, but closed Sundays.

Boron appealed the license rejection in March, but supervisors denied the appeal in June.

On June 11, Judge Pratt upheld the licensing ordinance.

Boron and two of his employees, Candace Ferguson and Terrence Piatek, filed the appeal July 6 questioning the constitutionality of the ordinance, and claimed that the supervisors failed to approve or deny Boron's application within the 30-day period allotted by the ordinance.

Ms. Ferguson was denied her employee license because licensing officer and township Police Chief James Morris, Jr. found her working in the store without having applied for a license.

She claimed she was just trying out the job.

Piatek had applied for an employee license but was denied because of licensing ordinance violations of the business.

Piatek and Ms. Ferguson are still employed by Adultland.

No court date had been set as of Friday.