Remembering my first strip club experience

I wish I could remember as far back as my first club experience. I do recall, as a young fellow in travels with my parents, a placed called "The Follies". I knew something was going on there by the scantily clad painting of women on the building. Before I became of age, it was no longer in business, so it only remains in my imagination, the wonderful things that might have gone on inside "The Follies"!.

My first SC, in the 1980's, had no lap dances, no CR, no nothing except a stage. There would be 3 or 4 girls working, and each would do a 3-song set: one clothed, one topless, and one nude. I thought it was wonderful at the time. I could spend the evening for around $50, including cover, drinks, and dollar bills slipped into garters. Being a broke recent college grad, I used to save up to go once a month. Looking back, today I'd give that place maybe a 3.

I went to the New Era Club in downtown Cleveland in the 70's (yes, I'm that old) It was the typical setup for a club in those days. There was theater-type seating with a runway stage out into the audience. The dancers would come out and strip as they danced on the stage. The reason I remember it so clearly was at the end of one of the sets, the dancer was nude and she sat down on the edge of the stage, spread her legs and announced, "Free eats!". Anyone with the urge and the courage could go up and munch. I was absolutely amazed and urged the guys I was with to leave soon, as I was sure that LE must be on their way to raid the place. I later talked to a guy from Cleveland who assured me the "fix " was in and the club had been operating for awhile. Thirty-five years later, I'm still astounded that something like that happened in a much more conservative time.

The New Era was not my first SC, but it was my first look at what was once the all nude, sex-show "burlesque" scene that was still going in the 70s. I too was amazed by the contact between customers and performers. I saw Annie Sprinkle give a BJ and shoot ping-pong balls out of her pussy. Marilyn Chambers got busted the week after I saw her for servicing a customer. That bust was the beginning of the end for that place, which closed a few years later. Ah, those were da' days!