I really think this is a big part of the problem in my club... Thanks to f-ing House Bill whatever, there's now a mandatory $5 PER HEAD tax on EVERY SINGLE customer that walks through the door, so the cost of coming out to the strip club has gone up. Examples from my club:
We used to have no cover before a certain hour, and a sliding cover ($2-$4) throughout the night. We also used to have the VIP program, which gave our custies no cover with their VIP cards. Now there's NO VIP program and a $5/head cover. Our club is not making any money with their covers anymore, so they had to raise prices on other things.
We used to advertise $5 steak dinners. Now they're $6.50.
We used to have a "Progressive Happy Hour" on domestic beers, ranging in price from $0.75 to $2 a beer. Now beers start at about $1.50 and go up to $3.50 (for domestics) throughout the night. (I think that's right, but maybe Ginelle can correct me on that.)
We have hourly "shot specials": Usually Tuaca, Patron, Jager, and a single-shot you-call-it, and usually around $2 for the two songs they were on special. Now the shot specials are $3.50.
Now the problem, as I see it, is two-fold:
1)The lawmakers are trying to force the strip-clubs to close, and unfortunately, it seems to be coming close to working. I worry about this... Last night (according to my manager), our club racked up $3,000 in taxes. And we only made $4,000. Here's my concern with this: If the clubs close, some of the girls will be fine. They have degrees or nursing certifications or something else like that to fall back on. But a lot of the girls WON'T. And hey, there's always the Boulevard. So what's going to become of these girls? They want to close down the strip-clubs, but who's going to pay the mortgages and car payments of all these dancers? Not to mention the waitresses, who as a general rule of thumb tend to make more waitressing in a SC than they would in a regular club. Then there's managers, DJ's, owners, etc. In other words, they're trying to destroy an entire industry in such a way that would put a lot of people out of work, and MANY of these people would never be able to survive on the income they could garner from a "regular" (legal) job. I was discussing this with my fiance last night... I can't speak for other areas, but I can say with some certainty that in MY town, if the SCs close down, we're going to see prostitution shoot through the roof, because I know a lot of the girls I work with (not all, but some) that would feel they had no choice. So this, as I see it, is problem #1.
2)The cost of this adult entertainment has gone up to the point that many of our customers can no longer afford to come, cannot afford to come as often, or cannot afford to spend as much time/money as they once did. I believe that SCs serve a valuable purpose in a community. They provide a (mostly-male) place to go, relax, engage in some fantasy-play, and unwind. They provide a social outlet to people (or groups of people) that is unlike any other. Those who are lonely can find some companionship, if only for a few songs. They make a wonderful environment for bachelor parties and other primarily male gatherings, as well as a great meeting place for guys to go hang out and get a break from the women-folk. Kind of like the old YMCA used to do, ya know? So what will happen to the customers if the SCs are all run out of business? Will they end up seeking a less safe outlet for their frustrations and their emotional needs?
OKAY... please bear with me, I know this is getting long...
As to the second point, I'm wondering if anyone is familiar with the laws in Texas regarding talent agencies for private parties? I'm thinking that with the increased cost of going to the SC, an agency that could handle bachelor parties, etc. (outcalls) would be a welcome addition to the town. For example, if you had a party of 20 guys, they'd be paying a minimum $100 cover amongst them all for a SC experience, as of Jan 1. Add the $60 cost of a showtime (in my club) and about $150 or so for private dances, and you're up to $310. Then you factor in beer, stage tips, etc., and you're looking at an easy $500-$600 for a bachelor party. If an outcall agency charged, say, $500 per hour, the agency could pay the dancer $300, the security/driver $100, and keep $100 for the agency. With the average dancer income in the SC going down, that would be a good option for a lot of the dancers, especially if the agency could get a good clientele. And that's still less than (or about the same) as what the bachelor party would spend to go to an SC now. I've been mulling this over, but I wanted to get some input from the rest of you gals about whether this would be something to consider starting.
Now, as for the first point (and this is the important part): Are there any other Texas girls that might be interested in staging a protest at the State Capitol building in Austin regarding this House Bill? I'm picturing a thousand or so dancers, club employees, etc., standing on the steps of the Capitol building each holding signs saying, "I'm Dancing for _________," or "I'm working in a Strip Club to ________." Like mine would say, "I'm Dancing for my three kids," and maybe have a picture of my kiddos. Another girl might say, "I'm Dancing my way through college," with pictures of her high school graduation photos. Another might say, "I'm Dancing to pay my mortgage," with a picture of her house. I'd like to stage a BIG event in Austin--lots of press and media, etc. I want to show them (the lawmakers AND the general public) that we all have reasons why we dance. We're not dancing (or working in an SC) because we're morally bankrupt, but because we're supporting families, paying bills, working through college, footing medical bills for elderly family members, supporting disabled spouses, or whatever. We could have a few speakers (anyone brave enough to volunteer) stand up and give a speech about the reasons they got into dancing, and about the negative effects of this House Bill, and calling for it to be overturned. Anyone else interested?
If there's enough interest, let's organize it and see what we can do. I can't in good conscience sit back and watch disinterestedly while the corrupt lawmakers in Austin proceed to destroy the lives and livelihoods of so many good people. If anyone else is as ticked off about this as I am, would anyone else be interested in working with me to try to make a difference?





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