Rossville approved a license Wednesday for a business that plans to sell adult books, the mayor said.

The store, Exciting News and Lottery, will be at 104 Chickamauga Ave. in the old Vassey Men’s Store building.

According to owner Mary Reed’s business license application, the store “will sell retail, unique gifts, video rentals and adult miscellaneous.”

Mayor Johnny Baker said Reed told him she plans to sell, among other items, adult books.

Baker said the city needs revenue and welcomes new businesses, but they must obey city regulations, he said.

“It will be a tasteful establishment, both on the inside and outside,” Baker said.

“I have talked with Mrs. Reed and stressed the importance of the look of the property. She assured me that the look would be nice, and the signage would be tasteful,” Baker said. “I don’t want the entrance to the city of Rossville to look bad.”

The city conducted a background check on the owner, he said.

Rossville has an ordinance prohibiting obscenity and massage parlors, but none regulating the sale of adult books, he said.

City Attorney John Davis said Rossville does not have a specific ordinance for adult bookstores.

“There is nothing in an ordinance that prohibits adult bookstores, but there is an ordinance against nudity,” said Nathan Bain, city councilman. “If they (Mary Reed and her attorney G.M. Adcock) meet all of the requirements for a business license by law, there is nothing we can do about it.”

Reed could not be reached Wednesday for comment