The Stripper Index

I generally agree with the jist of bad economy = less SC spend; better economy = more SC spend; but there are more variable involved than just economics (generational shift isn't helping). IMO disposable income never really recovered after 08 meltdown, and current inflation is hurting too.

That article was complete trash. It was like the drunk guy at the bar who just had his best idea of the night.

I haven't been going to strip clubs often ,but that's 100% due to the local conditions -- SCs have gotten so bad even I can't find a silver lining. But from my perspective the economy has been booming the past 4-6 years (minus a sag from covid) and I've been spending waaaay more on hot chicks in general, my spending has shifted to sugar though

100% the stripper index is a valid thing. The problem I have with the idea is there is very little objective data for the stripper index.

This idea gets floated often in stripper forums, and in stripper forums, the club is always slow and the economy is always bad.

Give the economist credit for coming up with a legit reason to go to strip clubs.

There's definitely a lot of factors working against strip clubs at the moment and the economy is one of them.

I am only about 18 months into my mongering career so I haven't been doing this long enough to gauge this strip club economy to past strip club economies.

Gold Club in SF is one of my 2 most frequently visited clubs. There's a veteran dancer there (early 30s) who I have gotten dances with and chat with almost everytime I am there. Shes told me that pre-covid she was making about 30-40% more per shift. She's still doing well now but she said the hustle is a lot harder now and customers know this. She's also very practical and has adjusted her rates, so there are dancers out there that see the signs and understand how to keep making money.

Granted the bay area really shut things down hard during covid and in conjuction with the 1099 law in 2018, these factors really hit the nail in the coffin for SF.

Every time I go to the club I always ask strippers how things have been there.

The trick is seasonal factors are as strong or stronger than broader economic factors. late December through at least Valentine's suck for strippers and really don't warm up until spring break and tax season. So a stripper saying things have been slow in March doesn't mean a whole lot.

My ATF has started dancing an extra day each week to pay for her rising expenses. God bless her for not raising my prices, not sure what she's charging other dudes.

There is definitely some truth to this. Many clubs changed dramatically during the 2008 downturn and then several years of a sluggish economy on 0% interest rate life support. But the economy is not the only factor.

Demographic changes also factor in, including:

• Unprecedented affluent population migration over the past decade from high tax/cold weather states to more welcoming climates. Clubs in places like CT have been hit particularly hard by this.
• More recently, the shift to remote/hybrid work for many high income white collar workers.

Even worse are those clubs that are highly impacted by both issues. The NYC clubs, for example, are pale shadows of their former selves. I was shocked when last I clubbed there a few years ago.

OTOH, when the economy got healthier in 2017-2019, the clubs in my area, which has also been the beneficiary of affluent migration, were busier than I had ever seen them. In a way I was happy for them, but it sure did fuck up some of my OTC action, lol. Girls who are making bank ITC are far less likely to sideline OTC.

^I read an article in 2007 that focused on Nevada brothels in the Financial Crisis. Even big name pornstars had gone to places like Sheri's Ranch, but weren't getting enough clients to make ends meet. That must have sucked for the more regular girls at those joints.