Pubdate: Thu, 04 Mar 1999 Source: Philadelphia Inquirer (PA) Copyright: 1999 Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. Contact: http://www.phillynews.com/ Forum: http://interactive.phillynews.com/talk-show/ Author: Stephanie A. Stanley A SWAN SONG FOR A BONG BOUTIQUE A Neighbor Of Critters In L. Merion Complained. Police Hauled Away The Goods - And The Owner. LOWER MERION -- Leslie Joblin's tie-dye-decorated boutique here stocked water pipes, smoking pipes, rolling papers and other paraphernalia often associated with illegal drug use. That is, until last week. On Friday, Lower Merion and Montgomery County police, prompted by a neighboring store owner's complaint, raided Joblin's shop, carted away two van-loads of merchandise, and arrested the 47-year-old shop owner with the long, gray ponytail.Joblin, who has operated Critters Unlimited Boutique for 24 years in two Lower Merion locations, was charged on Friday with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to deliver it. He was released later that day after posting 10 percent of $35,000 bail. The only hint of illegal drug use that police left behind was a poster of the Mona Lisa smoking a hand-rolled marijuana cigarette. Much merchandise His merchandise -- more than 50 water pipes known as bongs, assorted boxes of rolling papers, rolling machines, zip-topped plastic bags, glass pipes, urine purifiers, screens, marijuana growers' magazines, and posters -- and a bank bag with $22,570 in cash and checks remains in police evidence storage. It was not Joblin's first run-in with Lower Merion police, who arrested him on the same charges twice before -- in 1987 and 1985 -- when he operated his store in Bryn Mawr. According to court records and police, Joblin pleaded guilty both times and served about 2months for the 1987 charges. He was sentenced to probation for the 1985 charges.Then, about 11 years ago, Joblin moved his store to 1217 E. Lancaster Ave. in Rosemont and did business in this college crossroads without any interference. That began to change last year when Joblin's neighbor on Lancaster Avenue, the owner of Main Line Photographic Center, began a one-man campaign to shut down Critters, both store owners said this week.The motivation for it, however, seems to be in dispute. David J. Tulsky, a tall, stocky man with graying hair who opened his photo studio two doors down from Critters in 1996 and immediately made friends with Joblin, said he saw a young boy behind Critters last summer holding a glass pipe like those used to smoke crack. Young user Tulsky said the boy, who was sitting in a car with a female who looked to be about 18 to 20 years old, told Tulsky that he was 14 and had just bought the pipe at Critters.Tulsky said he then began to tape signs in his front and back windows and on his doors reading: "Say No to Drugs. Say No to Critters." He called the Lower Merion Board of Health, License and Inspection officials, and the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, and wrote a letter to Lower Merion Police Superintendent Joseph Daly. Daly quickly responded, telling Tulsky that the department was unaware that Joblin was selling to minors and that the police would begin their own investigation immediately, both Tulsky and Daly said. Daly said prior investigations had turned up no evidence of wrongdoing. Police, who sent in undercover detectives to buy paraphernalia as part of last week's raid, said they saw no evidence that Joblin was selling to minors. Joblin said he turns away customers who are under 18 when they try to buy smoking paraphernalia. Joblin said that the crusade began only after Tulsky made a mess behind Critters by dumping some peanut packaging there. It spilled out of trash cans and the two quarreled over it, Joblin said. Tulsky said he didn't remember the incident, but said he began the campaign after Joblin spoke to him with "disrespect." He later added that it was not a vendetta but an attempt to rid the community of a "reckless" businessman endangering the lives of children. He also denied he threatened Joblin, who called police several times accusing Tulsky of that. "I promised him I would shut his shop down," Tulsky said Tuesday. "It was not a threat. "It was a promise." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea