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Keegan: Urban Outfitters Can Sell Books, Shoppers Can 'Vote with Their Wallet'

While reaction from residents has been mixed, town officials say they can't regulate the business.

 

Sexually-themed books for sale at Urban Outfitters doesn't rise to a level that gives the town of Dedham the ability to regulate what the store sells, Town Administrator William Keegan said Tuesday.

The Legacy Place store, which predominantly sells clothing for young adults, came under fire this week after a Dedham mother penned a letter to the store's corporate office asking for the 'graphic' books to be removed or relocated to a different part of the store.

"It's a constitutional issue," Keegan said. "It doesn't rise the level of our local bylaw, because the bylaw [regulates stores if] 20 percent or more of the store is used to sell adult materials. This doesn't even rise to 1 percent. It is a very minimal."

Ann Hunnewell, the mother who reached out to Urban Outfitters last week, told Dedham Patch in an interview on Friday at the very least she wants to create awareness among other parents that shop at Legacy Place.

Keegan said while the town won't regulate the store "on that level," shoppers can "vote with their wallet."

"They won't patronize the business if they don't like it," Keegan said. 

Reaction from readers on Dedham Patch has been mixed, with some parents agreeing that books with such titles as "Get Laid" aren't suitable for their teenage child. 

"So, it's not illegal. That doesn't mean it's a great idea. There is too much inappropriate sexuality sold to kids and teens - not just at Urban Outfitters, but in the media as well," Barbara Wilson Arboleda wrote on Monday's story.

  • If you had a young teenager, would you want them shopping at Urban Outfitters?

    (Voting has been closed for this question)
    • Yes
        26 (35%)
    • No
        47 (64%)
    Total votes: 73
  • This is not a scientific poll. View Results Vote!
Related Topics: Legacy Place, Urban Outfitters, and William Keegan

Susan Smith

8:32 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012

As the mother of two teenage boys, walking by a Victoia's Secret window is more dangerous than shopping at Urban Outfitters. At a recent visit to Barnes and Noble 2/7/12, on a table signed Healthy Living was the pink covered book "How to Make Love to a Man" and on the clearance table right next to it was "Cosmo's Guide to Red Hot Sex", both located within 15 feet of the cash registers. Would you bring your 13 year old to the section of the store where the "Sexuality" books are located? right next to the section "History"? Urban Outfitters caters to the over 18 sector, perhaps Mom should shop somewhere else if she does not want to provide her daughter the opportunity for open dialogue with her 13 year old daughter.

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