Lingerie Modeling Or A Lot More? -- Fed. Way Wants To Revoke Firm's Business License

FEDERAL WAY - Modeling or exotic dance? Lingerie or a costume?

What's in a word? Plenty.

Definition became the key to a business-license-revocation case brought before Deputy City Hearing Examiner Terrence McCarthy yesterday.

The city is trying to revoke the 2-month-old license of X-OticTan, a firm claiming to offer lingerie modeling and tanning.

The city thinks the business, 29500 Pacific Highway S., offers adult entertainment and needs a special license to comply with the guidelines that come with it.

Officials say, too, that incorrect information was provided on the business application, which listed the parent company, Portland-based Avarice Inc., and not the actual name of the business.

Tanning salon for men

Manager Barbara Burke says listing the parent company was an oversight. She described X-OticTan as a "gentleman's tanning salon" where lingerie-clad women display their clothing in a manner that company attorney Jack Burns called "athletic" and "physical" - not a dance.

Federal Way's zoning is so restrictive there isn't any more available zoning for adult entertainment, Burns said.

As for the city, it says the business must close unless an adult-entertainment license is granted.

The clash between X-OticTan and the city began in August when City Clerk Maureen Swaney found an advertisement for "gentleman's entertainment" and noted one of the sites was a Federal Way address. When she discovered the license granted to Avarice and the X-OticTan of the advertisement had the same address, she notified police.

Prostitution charges filed

They began an undercover vice operation, which resulted in charges of prostitution against X-OticTan employees Karisa Thuy Dehring, 23, and Elizabeth Pycior, 18. They have pleaded not guilty in Federal Way District Court.

Burke insisted her employees were trained to stay within the law - to "model lingerie in a sensuous way" and then "invite the gentleman to undress for his tan."

In the meantime, Burke has closed X-OticTan voluntarily until a ruling, most likely in the next five days.

"We don't want to be associated with the adult-entertainment business. We offer modeling. We offer tanning. That's it," she said. "If they told us to wear sacks, we would."