Syn survived and celebrated its first year

Synsations had a first anniversary party last Saturday with free drinks and food from 8pm to 10pm. Parking was free, admission was $10. There were four choices of free mixed drinks. The food buffet had wings, lamb chops, salmon, mac & cheese, and fries. They brought out a lot of food, and they weren’t stingy with the drinks. A dancer told me that the theme of the party was “Old Hollywood”. Dancers wore retro style lingerie and robes, and there were decorations on the tables.

So, what has changed at Syn during the last year? Signs outside the building and a new rule: dancers don’t get fully nude in the main room, where dances are $10 per song. You can buy a $30 wristband that allows you access to the room behind the bar, which has a half dozen booths. Fully nude and full contact dances there are $20 per song. You can return with different dancers once you have the wristband. It’s similar to Cheetah and Toppers.

Cheetah seems to be what Syn is aiming for: a luxurious destination, rather than just a neighborhood titty bar. I visited Pink Pony in the afternoon, before heading to Syn. The $3 parking area was almost full when I arrived at 6pm, but there were a number of empty spots when I left at 8. The Pony might be filling the void left when Oasis closed: a relatively safe area on the north side of Atlanta, with the feel of a neighborhood bar. It's definitely more casual than it was back in the days when Pink Pony advertised nationally known strippers who were on tour. VIP doesn’t compare to Oasis, but you don’t go to PP for VIP.