Rent bump forces Lusty Lady to grind to halt

Roxanne Redmeat, right, and Princess, left, pose inside a V.I.P. room at the Lusty Lady in San Francisco, Calif., Tuesday, August 20, 2013. The two are co-op members at San Francisco's only dancer-owned strip club, which announced it's closing its doors on Sept. 2 because it can't keep up with its rent, which has more than tripled since 2001. The property owner allegedly wants to expand the neighboring Hustler Club, which he also owns, into the Lusty Lady space. less Roxanne Redmeat, right, and Princess, left, pose inside a V.I.P. room at the Lusty Lady in San Francisco, Calif., Tuesday, August 20, 2013. The two are co-op members at San Francisco's only dancer-owned strip ... more Photo: Sarah Rice, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Sarah Rice, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Rent bump forces Lusty Lady to grind to halt 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

It seems time and the Internet catch up with everyone - even the Lusty Lady.

San Francisco's only employee-owned, co-op peep show - a den of sexuality in North Beach for more than 30 years and the first nude club in the country to create a dancers union in 1996 - will close in two weeks because it can't afford to pay its rent, the club's general manager and dancers said.

The venerable, if dingy, strip club, which set another national benchmark in 2003 when the dancers banded together to buy the club from the original owners, is a victim of the growth of Internet porn, rising rents, behavioral shifts and poor upkeep.

"The industry has changed," lamented Prince$$, a dancer at the club for about 12 years who would only give her stage name. "Why would someone get in their car and drive from Palo Alto or wherever, find parking, to see a naked girl when they can do it from home?"

She and fellow dancer Roxanne Redmeat pensively puffed cigarettes on the sidewalk in front of the club as its trademark red neon sign of women in erotic poses flashed behind them.

"We were the last real peep show in America," Roxanne said. "It's really the last Madonna music-video-style peep show."

The club became a pioneer in an industry often criticized for questionable business practices, objectifying women and poor treatment of its workers.

The Lusty Lady promoted dancers with alternative and diverse looks and body types, and promoted "sex positivity," its dancers said. Before sliding into financial trouble, the worker-run club offered health insurance and a 401(k) retirement plan to the employees.

"It's just a San Francisco flavor," Prince$$ said. "It is so iconic. It's just as much a part of it as the Golden Gate Bridge or Coit Tower. It's just so sad to see it go."

The club has had simmering financial problems for years, said Scott Farrell, the general manager. The venue is also tawdry, dusty and faded.

"First of all, the place is disgusting," Farrell said. "It's terrible looking inside and out."

Though the business is worker-owned, the building is not - it's owned by Roger Forbes, the landlord for Tosca and owner of most strip clubs in San Francisco. The club hasn't been able to keep up with rising rent, let alone pay for a face-lift.

Rent for the Lady at 1033 Kearny St. was $5,500 a month in 2001 and is now about $16,500. The business has been behind on its rent since April, Farrell said.

Eviction proceedings were started against the club in May, which culminated in an agreement between the business and Forbes: Vacate by Sept. 2 and he'll waive the back rent.

"When they failed to pay the rent, we decided it would just be best to close this chapter," said Forbes.

The club tried to come to Forbes with an offer to pay what they calculated they could afford: $8,500 a month. Forbes rejected it, and now the Lady has two lusty weeks until the final inserted dollar runs out and the cover slides down over the window for the last time.

Tristan, a former doorman who, like many who work there, didn't want to give his last name, said the club did better than expected, but its end was inevitable.

"It's going to close, but if you want to be a part of it one last time, go in, throw in a dollar, say 'Hi' to the ladies and give them a good send-off," he said.