As if the Rushmore Mall needed another problem.

Once considered the retail giant of western South Dakota, the Rushmore Mall faces a shrinking tenant base, increasing competition for customers from new shopping centers in town and the growing public perception that its best days may be behind it. Last week, mall management found itself with another image problem on its hands.

Spencer's, a novelty gift store at the mall, is under pressure from the city of Rapid City to either comply with a municipal ordinance that governs adult-oriented businesses or limit the sex-related merchandise it sells.

In 2003, city voters approved new regulations for adult-oriented businesses and it seems Spencer's may have to comply. In addition to paying a $100 annual license fee, no one under 18 years of age is permitted in an AOB. While Spencer's argues that it should not be defined as an adult-oriented business, there's little doubt in the mind of assistant city attorney Joel Landeen that Spencer's qualifies as one, given the amount of the sex-related inventory the store carries and the way the merchandise is presented to the public.

We'll leave the specifics of the AOB distinction for the lawyers to figure out. Whether or not the back of the Spencer's store, which features floor -to-ceiling displays of sex toys, games, dolls and other adult merchandise, qualifies it under the law as an adult-oriented business may be a matter for the courts to decide.

But it is the court of public opinion that mall management should be concerned with when it comes to its racy tenant. This isn't simply a question of what percentage of Spencer's merchandise is sex-related, or even how prominently it is displayed. This is a question of what kind of image the Rushmore Mall wants to present to the shopping public. We would hope the answer to that is "quality retail" not "questionably raunchy."

Every mall in America is filled with unsupervised minors at all hours of the day. The Rushmore Mall is no exception. Given that reality, parents and guardians are not always in a position to steer little Johnny clear of the back corner of Spencer's, or to make sure that Suzy isn't perusing an assortment of products intended for a much older audience.

We aren't prudes, but to our minds, there's no doubt that the Rushmore Mall, where kids of any age can wander in and out of stores, is an inappropriate location for an adult-oriented store. Certainly, if Spencer's wants to make those products part of its business line, it can do so if it abides by the rule: No one under 18 allowed inside the store.

Our question is directed to mall officials: Is this really the image you want for the Rushmore Mall? We would hope not.

But, if any tenant is better than another empty storefront, we would urge mall owners to insist that Spencer's abide by all local laws, even the one intended to protect the sensibilities of city residents.