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The Oldest Strip Clubs

avatar for Muddy
Muddy
USA
There's not really database of this stuff, nobody has done dissertation on it I don't think, so it's seems if this community doesn't know then well nobody knows. If we brainstorm together what could we come up with? When you go to some of these places, it's not always immediately obvious that these places have been there for decades, sometimes people on here make mention of it though.

Some ones I know

The Penthouse in Vancouver. This probably the oldest one in NA because it was a burlesque joint going way back to the 40's. 1947 to be exact. Not many clubs can say they had Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Duke Ellington hanging out in the old days.

Condor Club in San Francisco. The first fully topless bar famously. '64.

Clermont Lounge in Atlanta. '65

Shotgun Willie's in Denver. '82.

Tennyson Lodge in Bethel Park, PA. '68.

Penn's Port Pub in Philadelphia since '78. Same owner still works there every night.

Lou Turks in Essington, PA. I know since the 60's it's been there.

Mary's Club in Portland since '54

Golden Bannana in Peabody, MA. '75

Astro Lounge in Rock Springs, WY. '69

Crazy Horse in Cleveland. '78

Les Girls in San Diego. '69

Hip Hugger Kokomo, IN. '68

The Ritz in Houston. '85

Brass Rail in Toronto. '48. Normal restaurant switched to strip club in late 60's.

Zanzibar in Toronto. '59


Playing with google and what I know that's what I got so far. Can any y'all add to that? I think it'd be cool to sort of have something to refer back to on this stuff.






26 comments

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avatar for steve3000
steve3000
•
a year ago
Some of the Baltimore Block clubs probably go back to the burlesque days. Blaze Starr danced at the Two O'clock Club back in the 1940/50's.
avatar for Jascoi
Jascoi
•
a year ago
Don't forget the saloons in the old west in the 1800s. I'll bet the girls didn't always wear petticoats.
avatar for rickdugan
rickdugan
•
a year ago
Alex's in Stoughton MA - '70.
avatar for Call.Me.Ishmael
Call.Me.Ishmael
•
a year ago
Seventh Veil, West Hollywood. 1950s.

Body Shop, West Hollywood, is also 1950s, but COVID might have closed it for good.
avatar for DOLLAR_BILL
DOLLAR_BILL
•
a year ago
The Rest a Bit Tavern in Mine Hill NJ has been saying it’s the oldest go go bar in NJ for years. I believe it has been around for 50+ years. I think the current owner, Frankie, took it over from his Father.
avatar for whodey
whodey
•
a year ago
The Brass Ass in Newport Ky has technically only been a strip club since 1966 but the history of the club at that location goes all the way back to 1946. It operated under various names (Jolly Club, Stark Club, Stardust, Silver Slipper, Frolics, etc) as a cocktail lounge but was always known as a haven of illegal gambling and prostitution. There were numerous busts for both gambling and prostitution over the first couple of decades it was open and those busts often led to the club changing names and "owners" although for a long time the club remained under the control of the Cleveland Crime Family until the mid 60s. It changed hands a couple times after that before being bought by Larry Flynt in 1968.

It was during the time that Larry Flynt owned it under the Brass Ass name in the late 60s that it officially became a strip club and his sale of the Brass Ass and some other clubs in Dayton that help fund his first Hustler Club and eventually Hustler Magazine.
avatar for goldmongerATL
goldmongerATL
•
a year ago
Tattletale's in Atlanta 1976
Cheetah in Atlanta 1977
The location where Allure is today in Atlanta has been a strip club of some name pretty much continuously since the mid 70's. It started as the 24 Karat club, or the 24K.
avatar for goldeneagles9
goldeneagles9
•
a year ago
Minsky’s Burlesque New York City sometime in the 1908. Lower east side on Houston Street. 6th floor in the national winter garden theater.

I'll take an old west saloon any day of the week.
avatar for Eric_Murphy
Eric_Murphy
•
a year ago
No.5 Orange in Vancouver added strippers during the day around 1973 and then went full time around 1977. Still going strong.
avatar for DandyDan
DandyDan
•
a year ago
The one I have been to that goes way back is the Lampliter in Ottawa, IL, which goes back to 1971, according to its website. Whether they had strippers way back when, I couldn't tell you, but I feel safe in saying they had them by the 80's for sure.
avatar for shailynn
shailynn
•
a year ago
Hmmm I’ve been to 5 on Muddys list, wonder if they all are still open?
avatar for Mate27
Mate27
•
a year ago
Hiliter in Phoenix started as a dance hall in late ‘50s/early ‘60s. Soon after evolved to strip club. Wish it could return to its former glory of best titty club in the valley.
avatar for ATACdawg
ATACdawg
•
a year ago
Holy shit, Tennyson Lodge?? I lived less than 5 miles from that place (for 23 years!) and had no idea of its place in history.

Never went there as the review were, and are, awful.
avatar for Ferdinx
Ferdinx
•
a year ago
King of Diamonds in Inver Grove Heights, MN 1965
They had a big 50th Anniversary Party in 2015, but I couldn't make it...:(
avatar for HoneyDewMelons
HoneyDewMelons
•
a year ago
is this discussion for oldest bars still in operation or now defunct locations?
avatar for Brahma2k
Brahma2k
•
a year ago
Mons Venus Tampa was 198, i believe. It’s owned by a guy who claims he invented the Lap Dance business.
avatar for minnow
minnow
•
a year ago
2001 Odyssey Tampa, ~1969. That was when the Futuro House that is the Spaceship was lifted by crane on top of the club. Joe Redner opened Mons Venus at present location in the early 80's.
avatar for skibum609
skibum609
•
a year ago
Boston's combat zone, which in the 70s had 17 strip clubs started in the 1960s when the former red light district in Scollay Square was torn down.
avatar for Muddy
Muddy
•
a year ago
@Honeydew meant like those still running, but hey if got some shit to say let it loose, fuck it.
avatar for WiseToo
WiseToo
•
a year ago
The Magic Lantern on Route 20 in Monson, MA was in business since 1960 until COVID did it in. Good news, for those who want nostalgia the iconic 60 year old yellow Magic Lantern sign out front is for sale for $20,000.
avatar for misterorange
misterorange
•
a year ago
I don't know how far it goes back, but I started going to Bottoms Up in Irvington NJ around 1985 and it was old as fuck back then. Actually looked as dirty and disgusting as it did just a few years ago before Covid killed it.
avatar for rawhide
rawhide
•
a year ago
Mons Venus Tampa was 198, i believe. It’s owned by a guy who claims he invented the Lap Dance business - from BRAMHA2K

Only 1200 years (approx) before COLUMBUS discovered AMERICA!!

awesome, way before England was formed, they were STRIPPING IT RAW in TAMPA!!
avatar for rawhide
rawhide
•
a year ago
And for the OP - a dissertation is a long essay written with the requirement of a Doctorate degree. I highly doubt anyone here has a doctorate degree but great try to use a SAT word. You can return to driving your truck now.
avatar for skibum609
skibum609
•
a year ago
WISE - the old days at the Magic Lantern were amazing. In 1989 our stag party brawled with another stag party in the parking lot after closing. They were mad because we bought the entire lineup and made sure they got minimal dances lol.
avatar for MajorBoobage
MajorBoobage
•
a year ago
The Admiral Theater in Chicago opened in 1927. It became an adult theater in the 1970s and added strippers shortly thereafter.
avatar for Nickanme
Nickanme
•
a year ago
I think Penn's Port Pub opened in 1973, because they had a 50th anniversary party last year.
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