Foreplay has been closed for many months

The Block has been in a quick free fall the past few years; I can't imagine anyone being interested in reopening a club on The Block, unless an investor/operator cannot get approved to operate a desired establishment elsewhere. Due to an uptick in crime and general unappealing nature of The Block in recent years, many, including myself, that looks back fondly onto the many years of enjoyment, see no value to visiting The Block clubs, even a a nicer club were to open.

So what's the deal there? Decades upon decades of business and running who knows what out of there right next to Police HQ then all of sudden the bottom falls out?

I’m not a business man, but here’s my read.

I think it’s a combination of several factors: The overall reduction in demand for stripclubs. Foreplay/Hustler occupied a large space on expensive real estate. Therefore, the volume of business needed to make something that size profitable just isn’t there.

Hustler in particular aimed for the higher end of the market, but over the years, Penthouse was able to dominate that portion of the SC market in Baltimore.

Most other clubs in Baltimore are much smaller and can adjust easier to lower demand. Especially as some of them have closed in the past few years.

Also, Three shootings on The Block in the past two years (twice at Foreplay, one in Norma Jean’s) doesn’t help either.

I suspect eventually (within the next ten years), economic pressures will cause most of The Block will bulldozed and redeveloped. I’d like to see the building housing Foreplay/Norma Jeans/Indulge and a couple of other businesses survive, but that wish may be too optimistic.

The downfall of The Block, IMO, is at least somewhat tied to the increase in violence in the city. A typical suburban dude doesn't want to risk getting caught up in the nonsense of The Block. Sure, violence is nothing new to Tge Block, but it has gotten out of hand recently.

Many years ago, I spent many late nights on The Block, and felt rather safe. Now, even in late afternoon/early evening, it feels dodgy as hell....and i still spend a lot of time at Philly clubs, with Philly also not really known for being a safe city. But, given the choice, I will choose Philly over Baltimore.

In addition, the motivation of girls has changed. During a recent visit to the Red Room late afternoon on a Saturday, there were only 2 girls there, and when I asked one of the girls if she wa going to dance on stage, as the other girl has pulling a dual role as the bartender, she said "no; I don't really feel like it". I left with plenty of money that was earmarked for the girls, and went elsewhere...off The Block.

Why mess around on The Block, when there are clubs in other parts of the city that have more motivated talent, and without the chaos that is The Block these days.

With 2 professional sports stadiums nearby and a bar/party scene not far away, The Block SHOULD be among the best adult entertainment streets in the US. Instead, it is host to decrepit/deteriorating dancers who have allowed their candy to eat away at their bodies.

Candy is nothing new to The Block. In the old days, however, there were clubs such as PissyCat and Hustler which had young and beautiful girls, and you could experience various other levels of talent elsewhere on The Block. Nowadays, even the top girls on The Block are far surpassed by talent elsewhere.

Add to that $9 beer/water and $25 ladies drinks, and it's no longer an attractive option for many, considering the lack of talent. To be fair, though, I don't recall dancer drinks ever being as low as $10, so inflation really hasn't caught on. The Block is really stuck in a static state, with clubs showcasing the same girls and bartenders as many years ago. Staples such as Miss Susie, Rob, and Scotty are still around, as are some of the doorguys.

The Bulldozing/Redevelopment talk has existed for decades. But, at some point, when people can't sustain their businesses, it may ultimately come to its demise. I suppose it may take the passing of the legacy bar owners to lead to change. But, I don't see the legacy owners allowing their establishments to disappear.