HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980 01-08 Music shop will drop drug paraphernalia sales DISPATCH 2 (E) St. Paul Dispatch
Music shop drop drug
By BETSY BECKER "OUR WISH is to not alienate nate these products as an answer
Staff Writer any of the people in the commu- to the drug abuse problem in the
nity,"Swenson explained."It's community.If this action will
The Third Stone Music Shop, just that there's so much nation- prevent only one young person
3035 White Bear Ave.,Maple- al publicity that it tends to dam- from abusing drugs,our efforts
wood,has announced that after age our good reputation that we will have been worth it."
Feb. 1 it will not sell what is have as a very well run,commu-
commonly described as drug nity oriented and community in- HOWEVER,the 32-year-old
paraphernalia. terested business." businessman maintains that his
The store says it carried vari- stand against drug parapher-
In a letter to Maplewood May- nalia ordinances has not
ous pipes and other smoking
or John Greavu,Swenson wrote: changed: "We still support indi-
accessories. "We never intended to offend vidual free choice and non-gov-
Community pressure and na- anyone and if we had,we are ernmental interference in mat-
tional public opinion have sorry. ters such as this."
swayed the firm,the store's
president,Tim Swenson,said - "We hope that the people will As a matter of fact,he said,he
during an interview last week. not interpret our move to elimi- is still part of a Minnesota group
(Tues.,Ant 8,'80
paraphernalia sales
that is supporting an appeal of made up 30 percent of the profit. said,the smoking accessories
Eagan's anti-drug paraphernalia He said the smoking equipment will be taken out of the other
ordinance before the U.S.Court was not sold to anyone under 18 stores as well.
of Appeals in St.Louis. years of age. Economics and public rela-
,I HE PLANS to begin selling tions admittedly caused Swenson
Our wish is not musical instruments,sheet mu- to change his merchandising pro-
sic and any sic and music books instead of gram.
Of the people of the smoking accessories.He de- The store owner said: "No
P Pscribed the store as primarily a business makes a move without
the community. record and tape shop. economics involved.We hope to
— Tim Swenson �� Tmay fiebe even more profitable by
in thehe metropolitan
has areave andstorwas
changing our products.Equally
started in 1971.The smoking ac- important,is the fact that we re
He said the sales of the smok cessories are being phased out at trying to accommodate the wish-
ing equipment amounted to,ates of some of the people of the
most,15 to 20 percent of the the Maplewood location. communities that we not sell
sales of the Maplewood store but If the new image works,he these products."