Wow, doesn't look good - once a city wants to get rid of the clubs seems they can make it very difficult for the club(s) to operate - but glad to see Follies fighting it and hopefully some good can come out of it.
So when the cops raided Follies during a peak time the only issues they found resulted in "cited the club for having an empty fire extinguisher and another accused it of illegally serving alcohol by the bottle." Not one prostitution or even drug possession charge?
Maybe all of the wild stories we hear on this site about Follies are blatant lies. Clearly this club is not one of the "havens for criminal and immoral behavior" that the town needs to shut down in order to "reduce blight and improve quality of life."
I often wondered how long Follies could go w/o raising a stink given how different the other ATL clubs operate.
What Chamblee is doing seems the same many other cities across the US have done which have either severely limited strip clubs or done away with them - seems strip clubs more and more have a bullseye on them from the powers to be.
With FOSTA; Tumblr supposedly banning all adult content; and strip clubs often being harnessed; looks like they're trying to implement another Prohibition era this time w.r.t. the sex industry
I've been hearing rumors from dancers that Follies was going to shut down at the end of the year. This sound like the rumors may be true. Looks like I may do some traveling next year.
Some of you guys don’t like lawyers, but now lawyers are Follies only hope. Everybody pray to the strip club gods that follies stays open. It’s too cold to go to Detroit.
One of Follies owners is a former attorney specializing in representing strip clubs. That same firm is representing Follies now. Read more about them:
Wiggins Law Group was founded in 2009. But that is not when we began.
In 1963 O. Jackson Cook was admitted to the Georgia Bar. Born in Tenile, Georgia, Jack received his undergraduate degree from Emory University. After a tour in the U.S. Navy, he earned his law degree from the University of Virginia, where he served as Notes Editor for the Virginia Law Review. Jack went on to work for two of Atlanta's largest law firms and even practice internationally before establishing his own law firm, where he brought first-class representation to individuals and small businesses. Over the next 25 years, Jack represented some of Atlanta's favorite businesses and celebrities, earning the esteemed reputation as "a lawyer's lawyer."
In the late 1990s, at the twilight of his career, Jack partnered with another entertainment attorney, Steven Youngelson. A native of New York, Steve graduated from the University of Connecticut before obtaining his law degree from Suffolk University in 1973. Steve practiced in Atlanta from that year forward, specializing in entertainment -- particularly adult entertainment -- litigation for 25 years. Along the way Steve founded some of Atlanta's premier nightspots, including The Punchline comedy club in Sandy Springs and The Follies adult nightclub in DeKalb County. Steve's raw intelligence and innovative legal theories earned him a reputation as a powerful negotiator.
Jack and Steve formed Cook Youngelson & Wiggins. Jack brought Susan Julian to the practice; Steve brought Cary Wiggins. Over the next decade, the firm delivered exceptional service and exemplary results. Steve retired in 2005, and Jack passed away in 2006.
Wiggins Law Group maintains Jack's integrity and professionalism, with Steve's penchant for pragmatism, in everything we do.
^ that seems like a def leg up in Follies being able to fight for itself but may not be enough unless they get a lot of people behind them and even then
The main thing in that article that is helping Follies is that the city seemed to accept the Dekalb agreement. So until 2022 they should be safe from stuff. Since they are paying the money directly to the city instead of the county. As long as all of that is in writing... they should be safe.... again until 2022. Or "grandfathered" in until then.
Yep the FOSTA legislation is killing anything "sex worker" related. Which includes..... strippers, cam girls, street walkers, hookers, high end hookers, massage parlors (legal and HJ joints), etc. The crusade or false facade of "trafficking" is taking its toll. It is proven that the law is hurting and not saving anyone. The people exploited before are still getting exploited.
Anyways... I will get of my soap box on FOSTA and what not. But just wait... twitter, FB, etc. All of those will be like tumblr shortly. Then isnt that attacking "freedom of speech"????
I'm surprised that none of the attorneys defending these clubs have gone after the very flimsy crime statistics justification for city's trying to regulate.
Hell I'm up the street from follies right now waiting on a dinner date.... there are a lot of places around here that look more crime laden than follies
Most everyone agrees with free speech so long as you agree with them..... Democrats bill themselves as a party of tolerance but then will call you all sorts of names for disagreeing with them..... Republicans are too busy legislating morality.
I feel SOOOOOO sorry for you Georgia guys. If Follies gets shutdown or restricted in some way, you can pretend you’re in Chicago where there really is no decent clubbing. My life.
I would assume that area gets a good influx of $$$ from all the out-of-town PLs that make, and have made, pilgrimages to Follies - IMO that would be a fair amount of coin not being brought into that local economy - not to mention the vast-amount of $$$ that flows/is-spent at Follies that is recirculated into the economy - i.e. they are shutting down a successful business that probably has a very-good local monetary stimulative effect
That is distressing news. Only been there a couple of times to meetup with sc, and a couple others when I was working in Atlanta. Follies beat the other clubs hands down!
As Papi said above, you just can't fight city hall. I wonder if they put restrictions on Follies, like closing at midnight, will regular bars have to follow suit. If not, discrimination comes to mind.
^There’s no such thing as a little snow joke in Chicago, that city is freaking cold, can you imagine living in Chicago and not having someplace to generate a little warmth.
It’s hard to get a grip wth mittens. ;)))
Papi, you have my deepest sympathy. For you guys that enjoy great clubbing, losing it would be a great trauma. Politicians are the biggest group of self-serving c*nts on earth.
I was at Follies today. This may be an indication of what the dancers think. It is a bad sign.
Not one or two, but FOUR dancers that I know and have gone to VIP with one or more times over the last couple of years started talking OTC and offering their numbers. Two of them were not even dancing for me. they just came by and said if you ever want to get together at my place, here is my number. These are dancers that have never discussed OTC with me ever before.
And the club may be trying to squeeze out one last dollar. Hi-Top tables now cost $100. That is the kind of move you make if you don't really need people to come back in the future. That said, I got comped. I did see others being moved off tables by security.
That does not sound good but I know from previous experience that Friday afternoons have become so crowded that they had all of the high tops on the right side reserved from the minute they opened the door. I was the first customer and the waitress told me that she would get in trouble if she let me sit in my favorite seat. I have avoided Fridays ever since.
29 comments
Maybe all of the wild stories we hear on this site about Follies are blatant lies. Clearly this club is not one of the "havens for criminal and immoral behavior" that the town needs to shut down in order to "reduce blight and improve quality of life."
What Chamblee is doing seems the same many other cities across the US have done which have either severely limited strip clubs or done away with them - seems strip clubs more and more have a bullseye on them from the powers to be.
The only viable option is to fund more friendly candidates for the town council. Probably a long shot.
Wiggins Law Group was founded in 2009. But that is not when we began.
In 1963 O. Jackson Cook was admitted to the Georgia Bar. Born in Tenile, Georgia, Jack received his undergraduate degree from Emory University. After a tour in the U.S. Navy, he earned his law degree from the University of Virginia, where he served as Notes Editor for the Virginia Law Review. Jack went on to work for two of Atlanta's largest law firms and even practice internationally before establishing his own law firm, where he brought first-class representation to individuals and small businesses. Over the next 25 years, Jack represented some of Atlanta's favorite businesses and celebrities, earning the esteemed reputation as "a lawyer's lawyer."
In the late 1990s, at the twilight of his career, Jack partnered with another entertainment attorney, Steven Youngelson. A native of New York, Steve graduated from the University of Connecticut before obtaining his law degree from Suffolk University in 1973. Steve practiced in Atlanta from that year forward, specializing in entertainment -- particularly adult entertainment -- litigation for 25 years. Along the way Steve founded some of Atlanta's premier nightspots, including The Punchline comedy club in Sandy Springs and The Follies adult nightclub in DeKalb County. Steve's raw intelligence and innovative legal theories earned him a reputation as a powerful negotiator.
Jack and Steve formed Cook Youngelson & Wiggins. Jack brought Susan Julian to the practice; Steve brought Cary Wiggins. Over the next decade, the firm delivered exceptional service and exemplary results. Steve retired in 2005, and Jack passed away in 2006.
Wiggins Law Group maintains Jack's integrity and professionalism, with Steve's penchant for pragmatism, in everything we do.
Yep the FOSTA legislation is killing anything "sex worker" related. Which includes..... strippers, cam girls, street walkers, hookers, high end hookers, massage parlors (legal and HJ joints), etc. The crusade or false facade of "trafficking" is taking its toll. It is proven that the law is hurting and not saving anyone. The people exploited before are still getting exploited.
Anyways... I will get of my soap box on FOSTA and what not. But just wait... twitter, FB, etc. All of those will be like tumblr shortly. Then isnt that attacking "freedom of speech"????
There's lots of self-righteous people that are 100% supportive of free-speech ... as long as they agree w/ the type of speech
As Papi said above, you just can't fight city hall. I wonder if they put restrictions on Follies, like closing at midnight, will regular bars have to follow suit. If not, discrimination comes to mind.
Follies shutting down is a matter of the upmost seriousness - and here you are w/ your little snow jokes - get a grip mon
It’s hard to get a grip wth mittens. ;)))
Not one or two, but FOUR dancers that I know and have gone to VIP with one or more times over the last couple of years started talking OTC and offering their numbers. Two of them were not even dancing for me. they just came by and said if you ever want to get together at my place, here is my number. These are dancers that have never discussed OTC with me ever before.
And the club may be trying to squeeze out one last dollar. Hi-Top tables now cost $100. That is the kind of move you make if you don't really need people to come back in the future. That said, I got comped. I did see others being moved off tables by security.