Massage business to open at St. Charles site tied to prostitution

A legacy of illicit behavior by St. Charles businesses at 504 E. Main St. may not be enough to prevent another establishment from opening in the same location with a plan that's nearly identical to its predecessors.

The Royal Spa was the most recent occupant. An online ad for the business depicts a scantily clad woman making a hush sign with her finger. Last year, a 67-year-old woman was charged with prostitution at the business.

Police also made a prostitution arrest at the location in 2011 when the business was called the Silver Spa.

Now, the Main Spa wants to open in the location.

"This bothers me," said Alderman Steve Gaugel. "We're setting up the exact same business in the exact same location with a different proprietor. The minute that place opens again I will hear from everybody in my neighborhood. The assumption is going to be it's the same establishment doing the same thing. I can't support this."

But seven other aldermen did. They granted preliminary approval of a massage establishment license for business owner Jae Sik Kim. Kim has not appeared to answer questions at any point in the public licensing process. Police Chief James Keegan told aldermen Kim doesn't speak English well. Attempts Tuesday to locate Kim were unsuccessful.

Keegan said a thorough background check on Kim found no problems. The paperwork and site inspections meet the city's requirements. The state licenses the actual massage therapists. There is no basis to deny the application, Keegan said.

"You really can't hold the licensee accountable until they get a license," Keegan said. "Once they get a license, there is a very stringent criteria in our ordinance that we make sure they follow. We do compliance checks. We also do inspections. You have my word as a chief that I will make sure we do that."

Aldermen created that stringent criteria, with Keegan's guidance, about 10 months ago. The city's new massage license is an attempt to discourage prostitutes using a massage business as a front.

Aldermen are particularly concerned about a large multipurpose room at the business that has no apparent business use and plans to offer "table showers." Keegan said those are sponge baths, which the former businesses also offered.

Aldermen Bill Turner warned against any assumptions based on the crimes of other proprietors.

"We're holding the building guilty for someone else's malfeasance," Turner said. "I don't see why, just because there was one there before that was operated illegally, that it means the next one is going to operate illegally."

Gaugel and Alderman Jo Krieger were the "no" votes on the business license. The city council will take a final vote later this month.