tuscl

Geopolitical and Economic Observations: Strip clubs in DMV

Monday, November 20, 2023 1:00 PM
As someone deeply involved in fintech and development, I often delve into geopolitical and economic forecasting. My recent visits to various clubs in the DMV area and West Virginia have provided me with unique insights into the industry's current state and potential future directions. Recession Indicators in Nightlife: The year 2021 marked the onset of challenges characterized by low interest rates, rising inflation, and social media-driven lifestyle displays. Fast forward to 2024, and the nightlife scene paints a starkly different picture. The absence of high spenders, a noticeable decline in tipping, and fewer patrons opting for VIP experiences or dances are becoming increasingly evident. When these services are utilized, dancers frequently comment on the industry's sluggishness. A clear recession signal. Predictions for Nightlife Establishments: Transformation of Clubs: Many of the popular "block clubs" are likely to shut down or evolve into smaller, more private venues, a trend that some have already adopted. Challenges for Non-Property Owning Clubs: Clubs that do not own their premises may face significant difficulties, including operational scale-backs, increased financial burdens on performers (higher fee to dance, higher fees for LD/VIP), and other austerity measures. The Phenomenon of 'HOEFLATION': I previously mentioned the concept of 'HOEFLATION' in my review, which is becoming increasingly relevant. With an influx of new dancers from various states and the closure of several clubs, competition is intensifying among the remaining venues. This situation leads to a disproportionate ratio, fueling fierce competition. 60-80% of the time when I tip the girls would say thank you, come back around, and yap your ear off on why they appreciate it and you get the idea. Rise of Alternative Income Sources: In this competitive environment, alternative income methods, notably prostitution, may see a surge. This could become a more prevalent means of livelihood for those in the industry, given the current dynamics. I’ve seen girls offer extras for $250-500. VIP rooms go for around 200. Most lap dances now go for $30-40 per song. Do a little bit of math and you get the idea. Political Implications: If current trends persist and liberal ideologies continue to gain traction in major cities, I wouldn't be surprised to see a shift towards the decriminalization of prostitution. This could emerge as a response to the evolving challenges within the nightlife and entertainment sectors, particularly if clubs struggle to regain their pre-recession footing. Observing how these trends and predictions unfold will be intriguing, offering a real-time case study of the interplay between economics, societal shifts, and policy responses in the nightlife industry.

6 comments

  • RonJax2
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    8 months ago
    I'm a fan of the idea of the stripper economic index. When I'm in the club and the PL/dancer ratio is high, I think "this sucks, but it's a good economic indicator." When the PL/dancer ratio is low, I have more fun and think "this is a bad sign for the economy." You raise an interesting point here about decriminalization cutting into the market for SCs. Maybe one could pile the whole SA scene onto that as well, anecdotally it seems to have siphoned a few regulars off of TUSCL. That would be reason not to trust the Stripper Economic Index. But I'm skeptical, I think these are all fairly different services, and I would be surprised to learn that SCs are being impacted in a significant way by other kinds of sex work like escorts and SBs.
  • ilbbaicnl
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    8 months ago
    I wonder how many true SBs there are, in the sense of not being pay-per-date, that is, escorting by another name. I think FS sex workers may prefer the sugaring websites to find wealthier and safer clients. With a few family friends, who had restaurants, there was a multi-month construction project on the road on which their restaurant was on, drastically cutting their income. They tightened their belts until the construction was done. But they ended up closing, because they never got back to where they were before. People got into the habit of going to different restaurants, and didn't switch back. Maybe the COVID crisis has affected the stripping industry in a similar way. The politics of decriminalizing sex work are not straightforward. It's supported by social libertarians on the left and right. It's opposed by social conservatives and the nanny state left. The nanny state left, or Stalinism-lite, thinks human nature is putty in the government's hands. They think they can force men to change so they'll all want to marry Lizzo. I'm mean, it's fine if you DO want to marry Lizzo, but not going to be every man's cup o tea. In any case, I'm not sure more FS would revive the sex work market. Cuban-born strippers are more inclined to do extras than US-born strippers. But are also dealing with a drop in income.
  • JamesSD
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    8 months ago
    I'm hesitant to focus on the political aspect of an otherwise interesting discussion. I'll say broadly liberals (who are like 60 percent women these days) are largely mixed in the legality of sex work. There definitely is a streak of "don't send poor women to jail for their economic desperation". There also is a thread of "women can do what they want with their bodies, you go girl taking stupid horny men's money!" But there also is the side that views all sex work as exploitative. And there is a concern about trafficking. There also is the health concern. So there will be those that want to legalize and tax, and that definitely crashes the price of marijuana. But the far left and the far right are unified against sex work and pornography. Deciminalizaton or re organizing enforcement priorities can increase strip club mileage and make it easier to be a prostitute and especially sugar. And sugaring is likely the area to beneift most, coasting along in the zone where there is little political impetus to aggressively sting or prosecute a situation where both sides will hide behind plausible deniability. Sugaring also doesn't have to worry about people driving past a club on their commute.
  • RonJax2
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    8 months ago
    ^ > I'm hesitant to focus on the political aspect of an otherwise interesting discussion. No doubt wading into politics on TUSCL is a recipe for disaster. And, I think you're right about this: > But the far left and the far right are unified against sex work and pornography.
  • groundball
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    8 months ago
    I think you're not taking into account the absolute collapse in commercial real estate in the DMV. Clubs might find it easier because their rent/leases will be lower. The other thing is that you need to look at Baltimore, who tried to "decriminalize" sex work by not enforcing anything...that experiment ended really quickly and the AG who tried it was thrown out on their ass earlier this year.
  • Grjax
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    8 months ago
    @groundball indeed. Commercial real estate is about to hit the buckets in 2024 if rates don’t change.
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