Fabulous Strip Club Ruins of Detroit

[EastsideAl]

I remember the place on John R south of 8 Mile, although I can't remember the name. I was in there with members of the DPD and, if I remember correctly, the place was owned by some ex-cops. It may have been a dive, but it was also one of the safest bars around, since cops got a discount and the place was full of them all the time.

I won't go into details here [[partially because I don't remember a lot of them), but had a pretty wild night once that started in that joint when we noticed that one of the dancers was someone we had gone to high school with and we left with her, and which ended several stops later with an armed confrontation in River Rouge as the sun was coming up.

That was pretty much the end of my topless bar phase.

[gnome]

For those who are wondering about the drumsticks... they went really drumsticks but rather they looked like large lollipops or small versions of bass drum sticks. A wooden stick with a round rubber tip.

They were given to patrons to beat on tabletops, bartops, etc. The patrons would show their appreciation for a dancer's efforts by beating on the bar surfaces. IIRC, little drum pads - similar to practice drum pads, were also placed on the tables.

The sonic effect was a cacophonous frenzy ... like crickets in heat.

[gnome]

eastsideAl - I think that place on JohnR was called Centerfolds. East side of the street about a quarter mile south of 8 Mile. As far as having a gun to your head in River Rouge...it's always surprising how much clarity can come at such moments. Sort of like a colon cleanse for the soul.

[9mile&seneca]

Ahhh. Back when it was safe to drink and drive

[KENSINGTONY]

I think the place out Michigan Avenue was called "Henry VIII".I and two other friends took a mutual friend there for his 18th birthday[[this would have been about 1976).I vaguely recall the adventure-it was after an evening of watching a screening by the Wayne State School of Education[[as a fund raiser) of a porno flick called "French Blue" where a woman was subject to having pieces of cake inserted into several of her bodily orifices at the same time.The perfect lead in to going to a topless joint,no?Funny thing was,only the birthday guy[[who's now a very successful business owner) was a drinker-the rest of us were stone sober non drinkers during this whole experience.I recall thinking that the girls at the place weren't all that great OR bad looking and of all of them only one seemed to know how to dance well.The rest just kind of flailed about,trying to make the drunks think they COULD dance.

[RickBeall]

Ah, Professor Scott,

I remember performing sociological studies at the Dizzy Duck.

I remember watching a really petite, very pretty 25 year old woman dance in the buff, the only catch was that she had had a number of children and had stretch marks like the incredibly illustrated man.

Held hands with her that night. They served "near beer" which always seemed warm.

[waz]

On Outer Drive north of 7 Mile was a place called Antek’s, subtitled “Thee Body Shop�. It was like a regular neighborhood hangout except with near-naked girls. I think the dancers overall were better-looking than at The Duchess a half-mile to the west, so I spent more time there. I recall hearing that the owner was murdered. The name changed to 007’s some years back, but I’m not sure if it’s still open.

I think Jon-Jon’s in Warren on Mound may be the longest-serving under the same name at one location. They opened back in the late 70’s, I believe. Any others older than that?

[12468_laing]

what was the name of the place by City Airport - Air something....?

[detmich]

Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems amazingly lame to reminisce about strip clubs and your ridiculous near emotional connections with the dancers at those clubs. This is almost as bad, though not quite, as missing the glory days of "Detroit Hos".
What is wrong with you losers?

[12468_laing]

detmich, by your posting on this thread, you must be curious as well. thanks for your continued interest.

[JMarx]

detmich - If you don't care for the thread, just skip it and don't post to it...it's a big forum...

I agree that it's kinda a corny thread, and I doubt there will be a fabulous ruins tour related to clubs, but I don't see an issue if some people want to banter about these places of their youth [[regardless of whether you happen to approve of these particular establishments).

[kraig]

To hell with all of those so-called Gentlemen Clubs. I like the down and dirty places that called themselves strip clubs. Does anyone remember Fat Boys strip club off of Woodward on Baltimore? It was right across from a bowling alley. The Brass Key on Livernois, Babes on Livernois [[which became the Black Orchid), Canteloupes on Woodward at Seven Mile [[later became Tigers) Chi Chi's on Harper and the Grind on Griswold were fun places as well.

Oddly enough, one of my favorite spots wasn't even a strip club. It was the place with the Belly Dancers on the corner of Lafayette and Baeubien. It's the same building that the Loco restaurant is in now. I used to go there in my early teen/high school years.

[ImHere]

The Pointe Athletic Club was actually the 1st bar I ever drank in. I was 17 [[Mid-80's) at the time and thought life couldn't get any better then that.

I went to the Gold door on 8-Mile once and swore I would never go back. Not hard to keep that promise as it is closed now.

I was mad when the Zoo closed, I was soo looking forward to going there when I turned 21, but it closed before that.

There is a Topless bar on West 8-Mile [[I can't remember the name off the top of my head), but went there many years ago with a couple friends. My one friend complained all the way there that it was too far to go [[we were all far eastsiders), but once we got there he didn't want to leave, even at closing time.

Good times, Good times.....

[EastsideAl]

missing the glory days of "Detroit Hos".

Ahhh, the sweet warm memories of growing up in the motor city...

[detmich]

You're all so glib and callous. I spent time walking the streets because I had to. It is not fabulous, or warm and funny, and there were no emotional connections except hatred. I did what I did because I had to, and I spent time catering to the whims of suburban husbands and high school kids as well as thugs from the east side and immigrants from Mexicantown. It was demoralizing and brutalizing.

You are, each one of you, more like Garrido than you care to admit to yourselves. You love to demean and punish women, to control them because you have no control any where else in your life. The joke is we street walkers have ways of getting back at you that you don't realize until it is too late, and your wife is wondering why she has blood in her urine.

I am wonder how many of you would want to do what Garrido did to those poor desperate women. Think about your mother sucking some fat pigs c*ck because she is hungry next time you are at the gentleman's club.

[RickBeall]

Hi detmich,
Tell us your stories. I'm sure we'd all love to hear the other side of the story.

[vetalalumni]

You're all so glib and callous. I spent time walking the streets because I had to. It is not fabulous, or warm and funny, and there were no emotional connections except hatred. I did what I did because I had to, and I spent time catering to the whims of suburban husbands and high school kids as well as thugs from the east side and immigrants from Mexicantown. It was demoralizing and brutalizing.

You are, each one of you, more like Garrido than you care to admit to yourselves. You love to demean and punish women, to control them because you have no control any where else in your life. The joke is we street walkers have ways of getting back at you that you don't realize until it is too late, and your wife is wondering why she has blood in her urine.

I am wonder how many of you would want to do what Garrido did to those poor desperate women. Think about your mother sucking some fat pigs c*ck because she is hungry next time you are at the gentleman's club.

Sorry for offending you detmich. It is an insensitive thread topic in some ways. Kudos to you for speaking up, and now being in a position to do so.

However, if you were in the game then you will realize not all participants on either side fit the bill as you've described. Also, you have no idea what these posters have experienced.

And you go too far with the venom, which accomplishes little. As far as the revenge part you described, is that much better than the original actions which you were subjected to?

Your references to Garrido are so ridiculous, no comment will be given here.

Basically, you approach this discussion narrowly and vilify anyone simply aware of or participating in adult entertainment in the Detroit area. Past or present. A rather large group, as you would certainly know.

What say you about Playboy or Hustler magazine, or any pornography viewed in private?

[RickBeall]

She would say the same. But I'd love to hear her real world experiences.

[KENSINGTONY]

Wow,nothing like being a proud disease spreader.

[RickBeall]

No one said she was proud. At the time, she was probably just full of hate, anger, and self-loathing.

[gnome]

A very provocative post DetMich. You obviously have strong feelings on this issue. I'd like to hear more. Your post hinges on the notion of control and domination of women by men; for my two cents, I've always felt that the dancers were the ones in control of the situation although its been a good 10 yrs since I visited such an establishment.

Maybe things have changed.

[detmich]

Not proud of much I did then, just know the truth. To tell details about it is hard, not because I don't want to talk about it, but because people involved are still around. Do I really want to bring them back up and into my life? I don't know.

There are still people in the city [[and Suburbs) who know me from that time, and most of them are not nice folks. So I have to really think about why I would talk about this, what good could come of it, and if it is worth it.

[vetalalumni]

Not proud of much I did then, just know the truth. To tell details about it is hard, not because I don't want to talk about it, but because people involved are still around. Do I really want to bring them back up and into my life? I don't know.

There are still people in the city [[and Suburbs) who know me from that time, and most of them are not nice folks. So I have to really think about why I would talk about this, what good could come of it, and if it is worth it.

Those sure sound like the fundamental questions only you can answer. Fear of retribution is understandable. Also, any emotional scabs might get ripped off if you still remain vulnerable. Success is the best revenge.

[Meddle]

I wish I could remember the other one on 8 Mile near Lahser, Trumps, or Triumph, or something like that.

Bob Seger used to hang out in Siloz. No drumsticks there. Only Prime Rib sandwiches with a carver to cut slices on demand.

The Landing Strip in Romulus went through a few redecorations and turned into a decent place that was always crowded.

[DetroitPlanner]

I used to dance at Watts Club Mozambique and at Henry's Palace. Being a white guy, my stage name was Kimba. The chicks would swoon when I'd start dancing to "Kimba, Kimba, whose the one from deepest darkest africa? Kimba the White Lion is the one!"