Comments by CaptObtuse

I stopped in early on a Monday and it was pretty dead. I was told the VIP was $300 for 15 minutes, plus tips for any agreed upon extras.

I'm confused. Six bills for the room, $30 a song, a tip, but spent under $100? I'm not real good at math but I'm good enough to see that that doesn't compute.

@Call.Me.Ishmael How many details do you need for a biker bar on a strip club website? I reported all there is to tell.

@mark and @monoco I was there the tail end of 2019, before COVID. I stopped in a few times because it was close to my Airbnb. Everything that the reviewer says is plausible. I had a similar experience. It's a bit of a dive bar but not so bad that you're afraid to go in. But some of the dancers, not all, are pretty liberal with extras and aren't looking for a lot in the way of a gratuity.

A barely coherent, unintelligible, incomprehensible one?

Gives me all the information I need

Lots of useful detail

Detailed in what matters, great information for business traveler/first-timer

Very insightful, articulate,professional, and filled with useful information

Thorough, objective, tells me what I want to know

I had a roommate for a few weeks in Houston who was a dancer. She came back to the room one night ranting about how she'd been ripped off. She did 9 or 10 lap dances for a guy at $20 per. He handed her what she though were two $100 bills. When she got back to the dressing room to sort out her money, she found he'd ripped a single $100 in half and folded them together to look like he was handing her two bills. The guy was still there, about to pull the same thing with another dancer. Management couldn't make him pay. Legally, apparently, as independent contractors the dancers can't enforce any sort of fee or rate for their dances. A guy can, and has at this club, get up after 5 dances and say, "That was only worth $20. Here ya go," and walk away. The dancer nor the club have any recourse. It's a "tip." To their credit, the club banned the guy. In time he'll run out of clubs he can pull that scam in. So dancers, beware. Always count your tips. But, yes, I've been ripped off too. That seems to be much more common. I guess it's to be expected when the little head takes over for the big one.

As a side note, I think it's interesting that so many communities are passing laws and ordinances to restrict strip clubs in the name of community decency - Kansas City has killed most of theirs - but are allowing more and more casinos. The real difference? Casino revenue is easier to track and tax. Too much untraceable and unaccounted for cash passes through a strip club that can't be taxed. If the county or state can't get their fair piece of the pie, so to speak, they're not interested.

steve_ny commented December 7, 2011: "Jess - relax, you're cruising with a 4.0, couple of days left on your free membership here, holidays coming..." Not if he gets a VIP dance from Jess, apparently! BAH-DUM-BUMP!

I am an independent contractor. I am a business consultant, not an attorney, so I can't speak with any real authority. But I've had enough dealings with these issues with clients to have some understanding of the law. It's my understanding that there are a number of factors that contribute to defining the relationship. As Che points out, I am free to accept or decline any contract that is offered. That is, I can refuse service to whomever I wish. It's in my best interest to accept virtually every contract, or the offers may quit coming. I can work for more than one contractor. I can, and should, be taking work from more than one source so the Dept. of Labor can't define my working relationship as that of an employee. Likewise, a dancer can move from club to club, and many of them do. Some work for more than one club in a single week. I can set my own schedule. Most clubs allow dancers to set their own schedules, but provide incentives to get them to work when the club needs them. They may have to pay a fee to work during peak periods, but during early shifts on mid-week days they can work for free. Or pay a smaller fee during off-peak times. Some clubs require dancers to work a certain number of off-peak hours in order to work Friday and Saturday nights. I can chose to follow certain recommended procedures or reject those that don't fit a certain client's needs. Of course, if I don't get the desired result the contractor will not offer anymore contracts. Within the scope of work outlined by the club, a dancer has some latitude as long as she doesn't put the club at risk. She can sell drinks, or not. Give lap dances or not, strip bare (if the law allows) or not remove her g-string on stage. As long as she can tip-out at the end of the night, it's up to her how she makes her money. As a business consultant, I have some serious reservations about your proposed business model from the ownership perspective. You make the assumption that revenue will always be strong enough to pay wait-staff, security, a DJ, and the dancers - including benefits for all. And that it will still provide a reasonable level of gross profit to cover overhead expenses and leave me as an owner with a reasonable level of net profit to put in my pocket. Your only real revenue streams are cover charges, non-alcoholic beverages, and lap-dances. Tips on stage are just that, and can't be attached by the club. Beverage purchases will be significantly less in terms of quantity and revenue dollars in a pop-shop. The cover will have to be reasonable for an establishment that doesn't serve alcohol. And as a patron, I'll know that the rules will be more strict as regards "extra-curricular activities" on-site as the club will not be able to distance themselves from the actions of the dancers. If I want to see the most attractive ladies available, in the nude, with limited contact, I'll sit in my hotel room and surf the Internet. I'm not sure there's enough in your proposal to get me to go to your club. I'm not saying it couldn't work. Until someone tries it, we won't know. I'm saying I'd need more information on cash flow and some serious market research as a banker before I'd loan a dime to fund such a venture. Or perhaps free lap-dances for life for me and banking regulator buddies. ;)

bigdude012's comments should be filed under, "Your Mileage May Vary." It is not, in my opinion, the "end of discussion." I personally think most Latinas are smokin' HOT, but if another one calls me "Pappi" I think I'll hurt someone. I'm much more interested in an elegant, sensitive, attractive Black woman than some ghetto ho'. Asians...well, everyone. Be yourself. Or, your character. Your stage persona. Whatever. Just don't assume we're all racists who want women to conform to some outmoded stereotype.

Not only that, but a bad experience in a champagne room has caused me to swear off all champagne/VIP rooms in all clubs. I won't even take a chance any more. I understand, as Chris Rock says, "there's no sex in the champagne room." But you do expect a bit more mileage than the average lap dance. If I know, or even suspect that there won't be - I'm out. One added bit of advice: Even if you can't sit on the customer's lap, touching goes a long way toward getting him interested. Touch his hand or arm. Touch his leg - the higher up the thigh the better. It's flirting 101. High school girls know how to do it. Some dancers would be well served to remember how effective that is. Smile. Flip your hair. Ask the guy questions and really listen to his answers. Act interested. "You're a manager at K-mart? That must be FASCINATING."

"Suffice it to say, that you must pick one who needs money and does not have a lot of personal problems outside the club." Amen, brother. I recently got out of a "relationship" where I only got it half right. She needed money, but was very high maintenance. Bipolar, no meds, ex-boyfriend, drug problem, etc. Fun while it lasted, but a lot of drama and I'm glad it's over. I plan to write an article soon for this site telling the whole cautionary tale.