In and out, in more ways than one

I stopped by BT's on a Monday, early afternoon. The club is located in a safe business district in Dearborn. It has valet parking ($10 if I recall correctly), but unlike other upscale Detroit clubs (e.g., Flight Club, Landing Strip), BTs does not require its customers to use the valet parking (and relinquish your keys and car to a parking attendant). On this visit, I parked on a side street just to the west of the club, near the car dealership. When I walked to the club, there was no pressure to use their valet services.

The club is well maintained and features lots of TVs and shiny chrome decorations. When you enter the club, there is a reception desk that collects entrance fees at night (but not during the day) and an attendant who will typically direct or escort you to a seat. The club has a central stage with two stripper poles. The stage is surrounded by an array of small tables and then on one side of the stage a couple of tiers of booths are located. There is also a bar on the right side as you enter with seating for 12-15 customers/dancers. In the evening, there is a charge for a booth but in the early afternoon, the booth is free. Private dances are done is an enclosed space that contains a series of cubicles. Each cubicle is fairly small but is equipped with a privacy curtain, a comfortable bench seat, a mirror and a wall hooks for temporarily discarded clothes. The bathrooms and the stripper dressing room is located down a hallway just past the private dance area. The music consists of a mix of rock, hip hop and Latin dance music. The music volume is reasonable and allows for conversation.

Overall, it is a very good club set up but for three minor but annoying features. First, the club charges $20 for every trip to the private dance area. This is not outrageous but it discourages "audition dances" where you check out a new dancer before deciding it you want to negotiate for additional services. Second, the private dance area has a small plexiglass enclosure with locking compartments where the dancer and the customer are required to store their smart phones during a private dance. The dancer is given the key and you both collect your smart phone on your way out of the private dance area. Evidently, this policy was initiated because a dancer and her customer decided to record and post their intimate private dances to the internet, thus providing unacceptable liability for the club. Finally, as mentioned above, during the evening the club has a bathroom troll and also charges for sitting at the booths. For me, these are not deal breakers. For others, the requirement to relinquish your smart phone, even temporarily, may be an issue.