City business advertises fetish friendly body rubs
GREENSBORO — A West Vandalia Road business is offering massages — possibly the adult-oriented kind, according to its Internet presentation — without a license.
The news comes three months after the city warned the owner, Dawn Denise McGinnis, not to give massages without the proper paperwork.
Her business, Prime Day Spa 1130-A W. Vandalia Road, is licensed by the city for eyelash extension services and reflexology, the practice of massaging of hands and feet.
But the business appears to be accepting appointments for massages through the Internet classified site Back Page.
It’s listed under the sections “Greensboro” and “body rubs.”
The ad displayed pictures of several scantily clad women and publishes its rates for “singles” and “duo” — $45 and $65, respectively, for 15 minutes.
“Relax and enjoy discretion in a professional, clean & private setting with our recommended staff,” the ad said. “Fetish friendly.”
Efforts Monday to reach McGinnis were unsuccessful. The telephone number on her business license from the city has been disconnected.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan said Monday the city isn’t taking such issues seriously enough.
“We have laws against this,” Vaughan said. “And people are flaunting them.
“Either we are going to enforce them or we’re not.”
When asked whether the activity is illegal, Susan Danielsen, a spokeswoman for the Greensboro Police Department, said “check with the city licensing department. This appears to be more of a zoning issue at this point.”
The spa’s services became public Saturday. Ben Holder, a Greensboro activist who has pressed the city to close illegal businesses in the past, wrote about it on his blog “The Troublemaker.”
Holder published a link to massage business advertising on www.backpage.com, a national classified ad site that allows adult content.
The ad mentions “Nuru,” an ancient Japanese form of erotic slide massage.
The ad didn’t list an address. It included a telephone number with a Charlotte area code.
Holder said he called the business several months ago and was given the Vandalia Road address.
I called the number myself after Holder’s blog post appeared Saturday. I asked the woman who answered the phone if I could book a massage for a male.
After we agreed on a time, I asked for an address. She said the business is about two miles from Four Seasons Town Centre at 1130 W. Vandalia Road.
The city had previously warned McGinnis not to perform massages at the business.
On March 30, the city denied her request to open an “adult business/entertainment/lounge” called “House of Rejuvenation” at 1130 W. Vandalia Road. Zoning officials said the site is too close to a residential area.
A city inspector visited the building three days later, according to public documents from the city.
“Met GPD to visit possible business location at 1130 W. Vandalia,” the unidentified inspector wrote.
“Location had no customers in it, but did have a massage table inside.”
According to the notes, the inspector told McGinnis that “if she desired to open a massage business, there is a specific packet of instructions, regulations and application I could provide to her.”
On April 7, McGinnis received a license from the city for reflexology and eyelash extension. She told the city “she will only be touching hands and feet,” according to the city’s notes on the case.
Vaughan said she has a hard time believing an owner would change his or her business model from full-body massage to just hands and feet.
“I don’t buy it,” she said. “City inspectors — I don’t think they should buy it, either.
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