Oregon Strip Club Starts Drive-Thru Performances Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Gentleman's clubs and strip bars became of the many industries hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. [...]
Gentleman's clubs and strip bars became of the many industries hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. Social distancing guidelines and fears over the spread of COVID-19 don't mix well with a business where women dance and rub on customers for money.
Portland's Lucky Devil Lounge was forced to close due to Oregon's stay-at-home order. It is unfortunate for any business to have to close during the pandemic, especially with the rising unemployment and uncertainty around the nation. But for the Lucky Devil Lounge, they got creative with their business and made plenty of headlines in the process.
The club responded to the shutdown by starting a delivery service they dubbed "Boober Eats," sending dancers out to deliver food to customers stuck at home during the pandemic. Uber Eats didn't take kindly to the name, so Owner Shon Boulden changed the name to "Food 2-Go-Go" and took his idea one step further. Customers can now drive to the club and pick up food through the drive-thru.
"The dancers are making money," Boulden told The Washington Post according to KOIN 6. "Everyone that comes through is super stoked and videotaping and throwing money and just being super cool. It's exciting when there's a carload of people happy to see these girls dance."
These Reuters photos of a strip club in Oregon operating as a drive through takeaway service confirm that we have reached the neon anime sci fi part of our future dystopia. pic.twitter.com/kRKOVz5CWE
— Sean Craig (@sdbcraig) April 30, 2020
Photos of the club show the dancers at the club standing behind a fence under a large tent, dancing on top of makeshift stages on either side of the parking lot as vehicles drive through. Armed with hand sanitizer, Lysol, and extension grabbers, the dancers are making their money, practicing social distancing and COVID-19 guidelines, all while creating something that is keeping their business afloat.
The building itself is still closed to the public and is only open for staff who must pass a safety check with masks and gloves. It also stresses that all employees are ordered to wash their hands. It also doesn't seem the dancers handle any of the food, so their hand sanitizer and Lysol stage setup seem to cover these rules.
The Lucky Devil got creative within a unique business, but they're far from the only business adjusting to the COVID-19 reality. Local book stores have begun to accept online orders and offer curbside pickup. Fast-food restaurants are offering more delivery options and contactless drive-thru. And grocery stores, labeled essential businesses since the beginning are overturning their entire setup to offer one-way aisles, limited numbers of shoppers, and barring non-essential items from purchase. It is a strange time but it is necessary.