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Just a hunch: This may not be what cultural advocates had in mind when they wanted to attract a disappearing Japanese community back to Little Tokyo.  The strip club at Vignes and Commercial has opened under the name "Little Tokyo Showgirls."

"The Penthouse Club" was set to open in October 2006 and was to be marketed as an upscale strip club and had one more hurdle––an approval of the conditional use permit to serve beer and wine. Residents of Little Tokyo and the Arts District learned of it with only two weeks to spare and along with Councilmembers Jan Perry and Jose Huizar, were able to made a stand protesting it was not the kind of cultural experience wanted for the industrial area next to the 101 Freeway. And it doesn't help that a corner parking lot that has nothing to do with the club is a holding pen for LAPD squad cars.

Sources say that without the liquor license secured, the Penthouse Media Group decided to pull out of the project. Now after a long delay, and a two week soft opening, Little Tokyo Showgirls has just opened as a non-alcoholic strip club (which means the owners can make it an 18+ club and allow full nudity). While the owner is reported as saying the club will remain upscale--and will be marketed to attract "Little Tokyo businessmen"––you can't help but help wonder of the new name is a dig to one of the communities who help prevented a liquor license.

Photos: View From a Loft

Comments

[Don Garza]

well, to think that the only non-alcoholic club I can go to in downtown is a strip club.

Lord have mercy , what has the world come to....

[Melbi Stylz]

The Business men and women of Little Tokyo were presented with the Penthouse project all wrong. They don't realize that now with out the liquor license They are a NUDE club. The Penthouse Gentlemen s club is NOT!!! going to attract hoodlums and the youthful crowd (cause thats what the protest was about). The Penthouse is a membership based club catered to the business men and women of Downtown Los Angeles. A place for them to bring their clients for lunch and dinner.
The protesters of Little Tokyo need to open their eyes and realize now with out the liquor license things are going to be worse.

Worse because with out the penthouse there will be no Exclusive VIP Clientèle. The owners of Little Tokyo Showgirls have no control now that the Penthouse plan was ruined. And to think...... that a nude club 18+ is better than an exclusive 21+ VIP member based topless club with a strict dress code. Check out their website you little Tokyo People cause now you've made things worse!!! Smart.....

[e@v]

The owners/investors of the club did not meet with Little Tokyo or the nearby Arts District for the obvious reasons of it being challenged in the planning stages. Hence there was no presentation of the club, or a frantic presentation at a last minute deadline by the owner himself.

Making things worse was not the work of Little Tokyo's "people" but the way the club tied to sneak under two communities who are very active.

The arrogance of naming a strip club after the community who protested it. Who just made things worse with that move?

[Melbi Stylz]

I guess they had to name it something. The Penthouse corp. won't give them the penthouse name without a liquor license. I remember growing up in 90012 LA And seeing the strip clubs on Sunset (girls girls girls) "Nude live entertainment". I saw them every day. I didn't know what it was all about I just know I wasn't allowed inside. I can't believe that the community is making such a big deal about them triing to run a business that would bring millions od tax dollars for little tokyo.

[Adam]

When the comments read as "you little Tokyo people cause now you made things worse," one might think that the clubs owner Mohamed had always nasty intentions, otherwise, he wouldn't make things worse. Yet he would make use of the commercial building a friendly community business.
Has anyone checked to see if the name, "Little Tokyo Showgirls," has a permit from the city?

[Melbi Stylz]

Yes They do have all the permits. The Zoneing has been approved. Everything was set forth. The city welcomed the business with open arms. The police come by every day wondering what the big problem the protesters have. There's so many other things going on you don't notice because its too busy in this community.

Have you ever noticed the porn thats being shot along that industrial street just east of the club???? And the clad women are outside doing a photo shoot! During the day.

Everything that happens at the Gentlemen's Club stays inside the club. How is that "DEGRADING" to your children. They don't even know what business goes on there.

[e@v]

In fact, according to the Rafu Shimpo Little Tokyo's newspaper, two other names were registered with the Los Angeles County clerk were Gentleman’s Club and Geisha Girls of Little Tokyo.

The point remains, that club owner(s) naming it "Little Tokyo Showgirls" wasn't a smart move in establishing a future community tolerance.

[theWeasel]

After the community screwed over the business by having their liquor license revoked without due cause I really don't blame the owners for making a stab at the Little Tokyo community. Just think, if a black guy tried to start a restaurant business in an upscale section of Orange County and the community tried to keep him out for being black I wouldn't blame him for naming it "Cracker's Chowroom" or "The Honky Trough." This is just the same type of thing, one group of society (the Little Tokyo community) thinks that they are better/superior to another group in society (the strip club patrons and clientel). Thats right, a community trying to keep out a business because they do not approve of the subculture it represents is segregation.

I mean come on! How can an ethnic minority demand tolerance for themselves if they themselves will not tolerate a lifestyle minority? I say that if the Little Tokyo Showgirls business does not get its liquor license back that the other towns outside of Little Tokyo that make up LA ought to revoke the rights of sushi restaurants to do business. Either we allow total integration or total segregation; anything else is hypocritical.

[Melbi Stylz]

Very Well Said Weasel. Yeah!... I've been living in the 90012 area for over 29 years. Don't I get any seniority in this? We will see. Cuz This club's getting their liquor license and my nephew will have a job. End Of Story.

[e@v]

Your comparison to an ethnic cultural vs a business culture has some logic to it, but not much. Communities should have a say what goes on nearby. Or is everyone "guilty" of restricting free enterprise? Maybe the club owner can take your logic and open next door to City Hall, or over at LA Live. Add in your search for economic activism, go demand that single sales for beer be allowed again in Skid Row.

[Melbi Stylz]

No vacant property available next to city hall. However, The CITY OF LOS ANGELES PERSONNEL Department is located BEHIND the Club. (Across the street if you go by the actual address of the club). The club is surrounded by city property. Even within walking distance from the jail. What's your point?

[e@v]

Across the street is vacant. The City of Los Angeles Personnel is two blocks away from the club. Fukui Mortuary is closer at the end of one block. Next door to the club is a clothing manufacturer.

The point is, if a club like this was attempting at any neighborhood, be the established culture be ethic or business (other than strip clubs), it would have gone through the same resistance.