OWLinAZ

We had heard the club was going to reopen and I happen to be driving by on the way home Friday night and saw cars in the parking lot and the sign said open Sept 20 so I texted my buddy to driver over and meet me there. I had never been in the club before it closed down a few years ago so this was a new experience for me. The Phx location looks a lot like the Tempe location from the outside with the exception of being bigger along with the parking lot. I was greeted at the door by a bouncer that welcomed me in and to the left there was the hostess stand asking for my $12.00 cover charge. I was hoping that being the grand opening and the fact that it was not 7:00 yet there would be no cover charge but I was wrong. I will say however the positive thing was I was given a free VIP card that allows me no cover charge ever again for me and two guest at any of the clubs in the country so I guess I got that going for me. Once the cover was paid we were greeted by another bouncer and taken in the club which is large. The elevated stage itself had to be at least the size of the whole open area of Sugar 44 and it had one pole that went all the way to the ceiling extending at least 60-70 feet and during the night I saw one dancer make it all the way to the top and touch the ceiling. On the other side of the stage there was a large hoop hanging from the ceiling about 4 feet from the stage and several of the dancers were giving nice gymnastic routines . So there were two girls on the stage at all times. Along with the main stage there was at least one other stage on the floor off to the left that was even with the floor and had a pole where you could sit close. To give you a idea of the club there were two stair cases on each side of the main stage that made it to the second story were I was told there were private areas with the $25.00 dances not sure about any other options but I would assume that if its like the Tempe location. I also saw a elevator that would take you to the second story but we did not make it up to that level. As I said the club is quite large and the seating is really spread out with chairs and tables on each side of the stage and more fixed couches at each end with one set of couches that were roped off which I assume that had to be paid for. Now to the best part the dancers. There had to be over 30 girls there and all but a couple were new dancers that we had never seen before at any club in town. The talent level was on par with BSC along with some hot bar maids that I wish had been dancing. I had several free glasses of water and my buddies beer was 7.00 pretty much in line with the rest of the clubs. The floor dances were $10.00 and we sampled a few of the talent there. The dancers were not pushy and all sat down and talked to us first and we found that many of the girls we talked to had been brought into town for the week, I assume from other Christie's clubs along the the two HL dancers we saw and the out of town girls said they were put up for free and they had no fees for the week. One problem we had was the girls did not know the local rules so our dances ranged from air dances to reasonable mileage dances along what you would expect from other Phx clubs. One bit of advise if you go try not to get seated behind the stair chase along the wall unless you don't want to get a good view of the stage once you get there you will see what I mean. Also the bouncer told me they only work on tips so I tipped my bouncer a 5.00 and my bar maid for the free water each time and they always asked me if I wanted a girl. I really did not take name or exchange numbers with any of the girls because I'm not sure how many of these girls will be around after the first couple of weeks and it they don't hold on to some of these girls or hire some of the good local talent it will be interesting how the club will do. However if they are able to retain and add on it has the change of being a top club. I did hear that there are free lunches during the week between 11 and 2 but I can't confirm that and they need to move away from the techno music. Overall we had a pretty good time but will have to go back in a month or so, on my free pass, to see if they are able to build on what they have started. It will also be interesting to read reviews from people that had been to the club before it closed down a few years ago to see what they think.

We tried the HL again last Sat night after watching football and as we walked in saw the bouncers refuse entry to a couple of PL's that were trying to enter with flashlights. Once got past the pad down and scanning of ID's we paid our $10.00 cover charge and were taken to a table by one of the many bouncers there (had to be 7-8) which hovered until he got his tip. I've only been to this club maybe a hand full of times in the last year so I don't know what the old days were like but the action you get on the floor with the $10.00 dances is far below what you might expect from other clubs like Sugar 44 or the Candy. I got my 5.00 water and my buddy got I think a 5.50 beer and the action started. Several girls made there way over always coming up from our behind asking if they could join us which I hate. Most of the girls were very heavy and we quickly said no. There is one stage and girls do two dances which for some was two to many as there were some pretty big girls. After we got settled a little bit my buddy got approached by a Indian (from India) looking dancer and she sat in his lap and they started talking. I heard her suggest they move over to the left along the wall which they did. About this time a nice blonde that I had taken to the VIP my one and only time on another visit joined me and was really pushing hard to go back to the VIP which is $25.00 per dance. She did remember me and brought up the fact that we did have fun back there last time and was really pushing it but I would have none of it. My only experience in the VIP at the HL was not pleasant along the floor was wadded up tissues and I won't go into more than that but not a place I want to be. I did give her a few 10.00 dances and she moved on after seeing that I was not going to help fund her club fees more than that. After she left my buddy came back and was pissed. He said that the girl that he went to the side with only sat on his lap the whole time and talked and when he asked if she were going to dance she said she did not strip WTF not only that she charged him for the time she sat on his lap. This my fellow PL's has to be a all time low for a club to have a stripper that does not strip!!! After that we left probably never to return again. I hear that Christie's in PHX is opening on the 26th (not a club plug) so I would suspect that the HL will continue its decline. Also as we were leaving and turning left on 12th street towards Camelback there was a plan clothes police officer, gun on his belt talking on what looked like a radio I would assume to another car up the street watching for drunk drivers leaving the club.

Been out watching a football game in old town and driving home I decided to stop in the club for a quick visit. Even with it being 1 am the parking lot was pretty full and when I walked in the girl at the counter told me no $10.00 cover change after 1 so the night was starting out good. There were a few dancers at the bar and several others dancing on the floor so it seemed like there were about 10 or so dancers there after 1:00. The club was pretty packed the only seat I could find was back in the corner along the wall next to the private room in the back. The club is on the small side and there is only one stage and there are two VIP areas one behind a half wall and next to the DJ booth the other across from the bar and behind a curtain. I have been in that area a few time and its pretty private. To get in you do have to pay for a $20.00 wrist band and its good all night. Got a 5.00 bottle water and was quickly approached by a dancer asking if I wanted a dance. She was upfront with me that she charges 15.00 for floor dances 5.00 more that the normal 10.00 charge and I said no. She said she would check back with me later and maybe the price would drop. You could tell the girls where trying to close out the night strong so quickly another dancer was setting on my lap. I had never seen her before said she's been trying out other clubs recently but I got 4 $10.00 dances from her plenty of hands on and it was enjoyable. She told me what nights she worked and said I should go to the VIP with her which I might one night. Just as I was about to leave Vanessa came over to say hi. She always spends time with my friend when I go there but tonight I was alone and she sat on my lap to talk. She is a very tiny girl nice to talk to I would guess she is under 5 feet and can't weight more than 100 pounds. I already knew she also works at the HL and after my last visit was telling her I had heard there were some problems there and she confirmed that they are being pretty strict with the contact she even showed me what she can't do there during a dance which was quite enjoyable. She did tell me that the HL bouncers don't seem to be as strict during the day shift and that I should come in then. Overall my experiences at Sugar have been positive while there are some regular dancers you see when you go in there always seems to be some new talent to try out. Also I did not see Venice maybe she has flown the coup and found a new nest elsewhere.