'House of prostitution': Columbia restaurant is actually a strip club, sheriff s

3 comments

• shadowcat

  •

  5 years ago

  This was once the second best club in Columbia but it became ghetto. I posted this back in 2013.
  
  January 22, 2013
  1
  Jan 17, 2013
  COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
  It has been the site of repeated community complaints and, most recently, the location of at least two weekend shootings.
  
  Now, Club Crush in Richland County is the center of a criminal crackdown.
  
  Investigators raided the business on River Drive, revealing gambling, drugs, and repeated illegal activity.
  
  Twice within a week, deputies were called to the club to investigate gunfire.
  
  For the last three years, officers responded to at least 150 calls at the club. Investigators say many of them stemmed from aggravated assaults and weapons violations.
  
  "I'd like to see it shut down," said president of the Earlewood Community Citizens Organization, Rebecca Haynes. "I think it's time."
  
  Haynes lives down the street from Club Crush.
  
  "I think they violated enough rules," she said. "I think we've seen enough problems. And like any good business that doesn't follow the rules, they should be forced to shut down especially with the level of violence."
  
  Earlewood community members say the club's violent and illegal behavior is infiltrating their neighborhood.
  
  "It's a hazard to the community," said Haynes. "It's a hazard to the people coming to their establishment, much less the residents around them."
  
  At a neighborhood meeting Thursday night, Fifth Circuit Solicitor Dan Johnson told the audience it's going to take time, but his office and law enforcement are working toward change.
  
  "We start off not just by shutting the place down. The first thing we do is try to work with the business to try to get things under control," said Johnson. "They meet with them, they bring them in and talk to them about security. They try to encourage them to do the right things because ultimately we want businesses to comply with the law."
  
  Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said they've tried to talk to Crush owners about security and safety but no to avail.
  
  "They've got alcohol stored in there, they're selling alcohol, which they don't have a license," said Lott. "They got poker machines going. It's just wide open. They're just basically slapping us in the face, daring us to do something."
  
  Residents and law enforcement have been working together to document complaints and build a case against the club. In the meantime, they must wait on the legal system.
  
  "We have to go in front of a judge and plead that they're a nuisance," said Lott. "And we have to show that we've sent a letter giving them 30 days to do certain things then come to court and show the problems that we've got and hope we have a judge that rules to lock the doors."
  
  "We really like the location, we really like the sense of place, we like the feeling of community," said Haynes. "And this club has no place in it."
  
  
  Club is probably closed permanently.
• Electronman

  •

  5 years ago

  If only Twin Peaks and the other breastaurants would move in this direction!
• san_jose_guy

  •

  5 years ago

  Use zoom outs and changing back to maps to see where this is:
  
  https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0286417,…
  
  Northern extent of town.
  
  Remember, Greenville and Columbia got hit real hard by LE not to far back.
  
  What is being described is exactly how our underground circuit has always worked.
  
  Find an abandoned building, or find a cooperative business owner, then bring in the girls.
  
  Variables, does the place have an alcohol license? Mexican Bars will, but Viet Coffee usually won't.
  
  Alcohol license makes it much easier for LE to enforce.
  
  What will be the official skin level, will flashing and pawing be allowed? How about kissing and licking, everywhere? Its all about plausible deniability. How about the parking lot?
  
  Are there back rooms, what will be the front room and back room mileage limit?
  
  Everyone agrees that the state law prohibits prostitution, but that law is just about impossible to fairly enforce.
  
  LE and the City will say that it all requires an Adult Entertainment Permit. But other's disagree, saying that such a requirement is unconstitutional. And it will be impossible to get such a permit because of zoning and proximity to schools and residences.
  
  The Permit does not really authorize anything, it just imposes a whole host of new rules, rules which apply nowhere else besides an Adult Entertainment Licensed Venue.
  
  So they separate the talent agent from the business owner, to lessen anyone's culpability. And generally the girls who dance in such venues are totally OTC oriented, trying to line up all the OTC regulars they can. They would be happy if they could fuck guys one after another, back room, parking lot, front room.
  
  Much more fun, and much more economical than the above ground advertised clubs.
  
  SJG