By Joe Napsha

Published: Wednesday, November 21, 2012, 12:01 a.m.
Updated: Wednesday, November 21, 2012

A Lehigh County company plans to open an adult bookstore on the same Unity site where it operated before the business was destroyed by arson in June 2011, a township official said on Tuesday.

Bargain Sales Inc. wants to reopen the Route 30 store just east of the entrance to St. Vincent College, Unity building inspector Merle Musick said.

The company applied last week for a permit to occupy the rebuilt 3,400-square-foot structure, Musick said.

Musick said he has spoken with Bargain Sales' attorney, M.J. Cohen of Coopersburg, Lehigh County, about the application, and he confirmed that the site would be used for a bookstore. Neither Cohen nor officials from Bargain Sales' Allentown office could be reached for comment.

Before Bargain Sales is issued an occupancy permit, Musick said he will have to inspect the business to see that the site is handicapped-accessible.

The bookstore previously had been picketed by church groups in the region.

Township officials said earlier they do not have legal grounds to prevent a bookstore from selling pornographic materials at the commercially zoned site, even though it is outside the manufacturing zones where adult bookstores are permitted.

Joe Napsha is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-836-5252 or jnapsha@tribweb.com.

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