Will Torrance Crack Down on “Happy Endings” Hurt Local Businesses?

Massage Parlor Arrest PicTorrance is considering a new ordinance that is designed to curtail illegal activity that may be occurring at some of the 61 massage establishments currently operating within the city.  It could, however, end up harming local businesses.  The proposed ordinance would prohibit any new massage establishment from opening in a location that was closed due to criminal activity for a period of two years.

The staff report explained that the Torrance Police Department (TPD) has recently conducted successful undercover “sting” operations that have resulted in the eventual revocation of the massage establishment’s business license.  As reported recently by the Daily Breeze, these operations include the TPD sending male officers into the establishments to see if masseuses offer more than just a massage.  One of these operations resulted in the arrests of the two individuals pictured above, one of which allegedly performed a sex act on an undercover officer.

According to the City, these undercover operations are time consuming and expensive to perform.  The concern is that even when the city is able to shut down an offending establishment it is all too easy for the property owner to re-lease the premises to another massage business as all of the fixtures necessary to perform such an establishment usually remain in place.

Unfortunately, the ordinance also has the potential to have a negative impact on the business community.  The restrictions placed upon re-leasing could create further vacancies in an already challenging commercial real estate market.  In addition, it could create hardships for legitimate massage establishments as their entire operation can be shut down by one rogue employee trying to make an extra buck.

That was precisely the concern raised by the Miyako Hotel at a recent hearing on the subject.  A representative from that Hotel worried that the Hotel’s spa could be closed due to the actions of only one employee.  The representative also mentioned that the services provided by the spa were a major component of the Hotel as those services are an integral part of the Japanese culture – a key clientale of the Miyako Hotel.  Implementing the ordinance could serve another blow to the Asian business community that is already reeling after the recent announcement that Toyota will move its Torrance based headquarters to Texas.

Will this ordinance have the intended effect of limiting the growth of seedy massage establishments that are nothing more than fronts for prostitution?  Or will it further degrade the ability of legitimate businesses to operate within Torrance?  The City Council will grapple with these questions when they decide the issue at the Council meeting this coming Tuesday night.

This issue also raises another interesting question that is ancillary to the matter but worthy of debate.  With burglaries and car thefts on the rise in Torrance, is having the TPD officers go undercover soliciting and apparently receiving “happy endings” the best use of the TPD’s limited resources?

5 comments

  • Anonymous

    I’m interested in knowing if, since this sting, there has indeed been an increase in extended vacancies if commercial property.

  • This gives a whole new meaning to “UNDER COVER” investigation. Also, if I read this right, one of these ladies was actually performing a sexual act with the officer? Wouldn’t that be considered mixing work with play? 🙂 I know this is old news, but thought I’d leave a wise remark.

  • Anonymous

    i hope all of these places get closed

  • Anonymous

    These places everywhere in Torrance, Redondo, Gardena, Lomita, Harbor City, Carson and beyond. I wonder how many sex favors to undercover cops were received from these establishments before one finally had to blow the whistle on ONE “massage parlor”, to at least make it appear they were doing their job. These two pictured here in the article were probably sick of giving out freebies to them and said ,”No mo fweebie fah you!!! You pay now o you go and nevah come back!!” So the gig was up on that place. The federal government has shut down the personals, dating, and basically sex for sale sections of Craigslist and Backpage, so why are these establishments still allowed to operate right next door to our grocery stores and coffee shops and eateries??? Do they really create enough revenue for the city to just look the other way on this? I would have thought TORRANCE would be a little more on top of their game with this. There’s a website called Rubmaps that I discovered after an extremely stressful work week and was trying to find a legitimate place to get a back and neck massage on a Friday after 7pm. I was shocked and disgusted. Take a look for yourself. You will have a whole new outlook on your city.

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.