Opening a new strip club

15 comments

• CTQWERTY

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  15 years ago

  Welcome back, London. A friend pitched me the same idea last year. My response? "THAT'S the WORST idea you've EVER had!"
• Philip A. Stein

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  15 years ago

  Opening a club: each state is different and then you have local government to deal with. I would say 2/3rds of the process is the same across the country. As far as same size cities and number of clubs, you are right. Some cities have a lot, some don't. It all gets down to supply and demand and what drives that supply and demand. The Detroit metro used to enjoy a very high standard of living compared to the rest of the country. A middle class with a lot of disposable income created a lot of demand. The flip side is where state and local laws are so restrictive that there's little demand or supply.
• steve229

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  15 years ago

  Here in Northern Virginia, the only "new" club to open bought out an old, defunct club's building, so it could be grandfathered in on zoning. Attempts to open other clubs have been vetoed by the local zoning boards. And the beat goes on...
• SuperDude

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  15 years ago

  Hurdles you will have to jump: Zoning laws on the location of clubs. Some jurisdictions have restrictions on proximity to schools, churches, playgrounds or residential neighborhoods; limitations on liquor licenses. Some states restrict the number of liquor licenses to x per thousand population. Others may have restrictions on how many licensees may operate per number of blocks or square mile. If the quota is filed, you will have to wait, settle for a beer and wine only operation or aquire an existing license; the secondary effects battle. You may be hit with an objection to opening the club based on a community group's claim that the SC will have the secondary effect of increasing crime and/or lowering property values. Your response refuting this claim can be time consuming and expensive; financing. In this tight credit market, lending institutions are reluctant to loan for entertainment operations, fearing that the market is soft and the loan will go bad quickly. BUT there are ways around all of these things, mostly illegal, involving bribing public officals, kickbacks to commercial loan officers and private loans from sources with mob connections. And that's just to get the doors open. Now run it.
• Player11

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  15 years ago

  A friend told me there are 2x or more as many men as women in Houston. Hence the large number of SC and escorts here.
• FinalLap

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  15 years ago

  In most areas it's extremely difficult to get local govt approval. If you aren't grandfathered at an existing site or designated district, it's highly unlikely. Most smaller cities and counties have adopted rules that make it almost impossible. Right wing churches and "do gooders" make it their cause and local officials are afraid to let common sense prevail. Emotion wins and the proposed club loses.
• deogol

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  15 years ago

  I would open a regular club. Then after a year, add strippers. Running a regular club, will probably widen your access to women with less 'tude anyhow. Studio 54 became "the thing" because it paid some of the more interesting characters to come in (shills basically). That beget more who came in on their own. Same could be done with babes.
• gatorfan

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  15 years ago

  Money is the most important thing, probably half a million to a million for start-up. You need not bother pursuing further without it.
• samsung1

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  15 years ago

  If you are interested in becoming an owner: [view link] Ed publications has a magazine for club owners. (it is pricey though) Also you can check out [view link] membership is normally $99 but on sale right now for $49. It has a list of clubs for sale but you need a membership to read more details beyond just the location and club type.
• Dougster

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  15 years ago

  2x as many, huh, payer? Don't believe everything your friends tell you. A little research show that women actually outnumber men: [view link] Of course, I guess you and your PL buddies need rationalizations for your hobby, so if it helps you just tell yourself that the official statistics are all wrong due to some conspiracy theory. Oh, and keep telling yourself you are a "player" too.
• jester214

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  15 years ago

  It all depends on where you are. There's been an ongoing (for several years) legal battle in Raleigh North Carolina to open a new club. They finally got permission, but it was quite a battle. Maybe the first new strip club to be opened in Raleigh in something like 20 years. In other places... I doubt it takes to much effort.
• gk

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  15 years ago

  Better approach--buy a dive. Turn it into anything you want. Starting from scratch would be hard. You would need some local networking mentors to ID all the zoning, licensing issues etc. If yoiu have money to invest, follow the money here. That is, it's leaving the older big cities and moving to the newer big cities, like Houston,Phoenix etc.
• samsung1

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  15 years ago

  here are a few of Alan Markovitz's Rules of Business: "Choose your business partners wisely. Everyone is looking to take more than their fair share. One of my partners was my dad, who provided good business sense from his ownership of a TV repair shop, extra capital, and a trust that couldn't be breached. Another partner of mine was arrested by the FBI for hiring two hit men for $12,000 to kill me." "Never stand still, especially when you're leading the competition. Whatever strategic advantage you have is short lived and can be copied. Keep looking to reinvent, expand, upgrade or overhaul." "If you sleep with the help, you might need help." "You can manage through any crisis. I did. I survived two different life-threatening shootings. I survived my club being raided and smeared. I survived some bad business deals. I worked with a partner for a period of time while he was on trial for arranging my murder. I dealt with corrupt politicians, dirty cops, and out-of-control patrons. The key is to stay focused on the prize and know that much of your success is related to how you manage problems." "Believe it or not, the way to make money is not always through your core talent. Sure, the 300+ dancers that work at one of my clubs bring in money, but we make our real money off of alcohol, cigars, food, and merchandise. Always look at the extra ways you can turn a buck." "Experiment and take a chance. I tried a few new things that in the end didn't pay off, but unless you try new ideas, you won't get to succeed. I tried the idea of arranging for strippers on a golf course. I also chartered flights to Las Vegas that featured performing strippers."
• shadowcat

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  15 years ago

  I would rather take a chance at a McDonalds.
• Clubber

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  15 years ago

  ACORN could help you with this endeavor, also. Might need underage females to dance, however. They might have a pipeline from England to help you bring them over.