Going Through the Motions

My first-ever Sunday afternoon in Metro Detroit. Dearborn clubs (along with the Hamilton dives in Inkster) were about the only options--most 8 Mile clubs open at 7:00. Drove by Club Venus, which appeared to be permanently closed (the crime-scene motel next door has been condemned). Pantheon was fun for lunch, but I decided to check out BT's around 2:00. I had lots of fun there in the 80s and 90s, but no recent experience. Valet parking was $7, no cover. Walking in, there seemed to be more male employees (DJ, bouncers, cook, bartender, etc.) than customers or dancers. Sat at the bar, sipped my overpriced drink ($16 for call Scotch), and realized that I had been to funerals with more excitement than a Sunday at BT's. Good grief. Three dancers, one a 7 and two 3s. Four customers, including me. The 7 was glued to a regular, leaving the rest of us PLs to ignore the desperate attempts at VIP selling by the other dancers. Boring, boring, boring. I stayed until 4:00, hoping the situation would improve. It didn't. No new dancers arrived; the 7 promised to come see me but didn't get around to it. By this time the customer count had reached 10 or so, and I was tired of watching the chubbies shuffle around on the stage and averse to investing in more overpriced liquor. I decided to head for DTW, and can honestly say I had a better time at the PF Chang's in the Delta Terminal than I had in a strip club.

Look, I've been clubbing for over 30 years, and have had my share of disappointments. The Sunday trip to BT's was far from a "career worst." Mainly, this is a case of a missed opportunity for club management. Attention, BT's: you are about the only game in town on Sunday afternoon, so why not make something happen? Run some drink and dance specials, do something for Sunday Tigers games, stand up a wet t-shirt competition (the one I attended in this very club in the early 90s was the best ever), do something. Metro Detroit has a big SC customer base looking for something new and interesting. Get off your a$$es and build your brand. I walked out of your club yesterday with $500 in my wallet. Please give me a reason to give you another try.