Life after the coronavirus pandemic is going to look different everywhere, including at strip clubs. Industry sources told TMZ Sunday lap dances could become a thing of the past as more clubs look for different ways to entertain guests in a world where social distancing is common. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has suggested people take measures to keep at least six feet away from other people to help slow the spread of the virus, and that is difficult to do at a gentleman’s club.
TMZ‘s strip club industry sources said the business will look very different. One source said strip clubs are preparing to ask customers to wear a face mask and gloves. The exotic dancers could also be required to wear the same while performing. Club capacity could be limited for both customers and the number of dancers working at once. No contact rules could also be instituted, making lap dances a thing of the past.
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Club owners said they have not heard anything official about how their business can look in the future. They are simply in a “waiting game,” notes TMZ, as they wait for updates from federal and state governments and the CDC. They are concerned that new measures would make it impossible for customers to have fun, leading to a drop in business.
Ever since states put in “stay-at-home” orders and shuttered unessential businesses, strip clubs across the country have been searching for unique ways to stay alive. For example, in Portland, Oregon, Lucky Devil Lounge owner Shon Boulden turned his club into a delivery restaurant where dancers drop-off food for customers. He launched Boober Eats, and charges $30 per delivery. Two dancers and a driver/security guard will arrive at a customer’s home, reports Rolling Stone.
Initially, Boulden thought about having exotic dancers drop off the food topless, but he decided that was a bad idea. Instead, the women are wearing sweaters, which they will take off to reveal nipple pasties. “At a certain point we decided we probably shouldn’t be sending topless girls to random people’s houses, so we’re doing it more PC,” Boulden told Rolling Stone.
Meanwhile, one strip club owner is suing the federal Small Business Administration for being excluded from businesses that can receive aid under the CARES Act, reports Fox News. Little Darlings strip club chain owner Jason Mahoney said his business was categorized as an operation of “prurient sexual nature,” which made relief unavailable. Mahoney previously tried to stay open by offering drive-thru strip club shows in Las Vegas, but police shut down the venture.
