Neighboring businesses of a massage parlor caught in a prostitution sting are saying good riddance.
The District Attorney General's Office boarded up Smile Spa on Clinton Highway Monday under the nuisance law.
Officers launched an undercover investigation into the business in May. On at least four occasions, Smile Spa employees offered sexual acts to the undercover officers in exchange for money.
The business is located only a mile and a half away from Norwood Elementary School on Merchants Drive.
Smile Spa's neighbors on both sides say the move is more of a relief than a surprise.
"I think it cast a pretty dark shadow. It's not something you want when you choose to open a business in an area," said Clinton Highway Wine and Spirits co-owner Tyler Wyatt.
"They were never a nuisance to us specifically but for the neighborhood and the betterment of this area, I think it's a good thing," he said.
The spa's owners are set to appear in court in a week, where they can argue against the closure.
Smile Spa is the latest in a long list of shut downs under the nuisance law. The DA's office has closed 37 businesses total.
The district attorney says they see an estimated 85% reduction in crime after they close a property with a nuisance injunction.
