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Owner Wants Longer Hours, Music at Topless Coffee Shop

June 03, 2009 - VASSALBORO -- Topless waitresses dancing to the music of a disc jockey, and serving coffee and doughnuts to customers, from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. each day.

That's what Donald Crabtree is proposing for his Grand View Topless Coffee Shop on Route 3.

Tuesday night, he met with members of the Planning Board for a pre-application conference, attended by a handful of residents. He proposes to extend his hours of operation and have his waitresses dance around the booths to music – without needing a new permit from the town.

"I'm not asking to change it – just to add, keep it still a coffee shop," Crabtree said. "No alcohol involved at all."

Grand View features topless waitresses and waiters serving coffee and doughnuts. Its current hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Voters at town meeting Monday will consider an ordinance to regulate where, when and how "sexually oriented businesses" may operate in town. If approved, the ordinance would not apply to Crabtree's existing coffee shop, but it would if he needed a new permit.

Allowing his topless wait staff to dance is the key matter. The Planning Board must decide whether allowing dancing would constitute a change of use in the business – a change that would necessitate a permit.

Morning Sentinel staff report June 3, 2009


Lakes:
Regions: Belgrade, Mid Coast


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