HARBESON, Del. - The owner of an adult store in Harbeson is offering a way for families to take photos with Santa free of charge during the holidays.

Tony Bryan dresses up as Santa Claus and has a miniature detached building called "Santa's House" in the Dragon's Lair parking lot at the intersection of Route 9 and Route 5. Dragon's Lair owner Jennifer Layfield covers Bryan's costume and also provides toys for kids when they see Santa. She says she does it because she wants people to have an affordable and easy way to take pictures with Santa, as opposed to waiting in long lines at malls in Salisbury or Dover where you also have to pay.



"Block out the fact that I'm a sex shop and just realize that I'm just a person who cares about little people," she says. "I want them to be able to see Santa."

Bryan walks up and down the road dressed as Santa waving at cars. He donates his time and says he has no issue with the location whatsoever.

"This time of year, their parking lot is full with their own customers and the Santa Claus house is full with his customers," he says. "Most of them don't even go into Dragon's Lair."

Santa's house and the Dragon's Lair are close, but definitely separated. Layfield says it's not about business-- it's about providing joy to kids.

'I'm not saying, come into the shop. I'm not advertising it and saying "Oh and here's the bait line, we also have Santa," she says. "It's just, 'Come see Santa.' That's what it's all about."

Some people told WBOC they found the set up odd and inappropriate.



"I would not take my children over there because it's too close to the adult store," said Vanessa Stephens-Lee of Seaford. "They don't need to see people coming in and out from over there."



But many others say they saw it as a service to the community, and the location is a non-issue.



"The younger children wouldn't be interested in any of the signs and I think the older children are not going to be interested in Santa Claus," said Margie Risseeuw of Lewes. "So with the parents there to watch over them, I think everything is okay."

