Mo. law limiting sexual businesses to take effect Saturday; judge denies restraining order

Judge refuses to stop Mo. law on sexual businesses

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The nudity must stop at Missouri strip clubs. So must the lap dances and booze. And all sexually oriented businesses must abide by a midnight closing time.

Missouri’s wide-ranging limitations on sexual businesses will take effect Saturday after a judge on Friday denied a request from a coalition of sexual store owners and erotic dancers to temporarily block the new law.

The judge says the coalition failed to show their lawsuit is likely to succeed or that they will suffer irreparable harm.

Seeking to capitalize while it can, Rumors Cabaret in Columbia, Mo., has been running radio ads touting a lap-dance liquidation sale. But owner Rob Call says he isn’t sure whether to open on Saturday because the law will take so much business away.