East Market Street has lost another business, but there hasn’t been any neighborhood outcry from its loss. The Louisville Gold Club, one of two strip clubs in the area, closed its doors last December and the building it occupied is now for lease. Can we call this gentrification? The block is already home to two of the most upscale condo developments in the city: the Fleur-de-Lis around the corner and the Mercantile just next door.
The site is also across the street from the planned Nucleus research campus that hopes to attract thousands of high-tech jobs to the area. We’re not sure the details behind the closing, but the East Market Street strip club scene has been narrowed to one. The block already has many vacant retail spots, but is now ready for a full come-back when the economy improves.
I know that the Gold Club never was very busy. It has long had a reputation for offering 'happy endings' in the back rooms and the caliber of the women dancing there tends to run more in line with the Dixie Hwy clubs than a true 'gentlemans club'. The club has had several owners over the years and has been shuttered in the past due to prostitution and drug dealing charges. This time I believe it was shuttered due to an inability to pay the bills. The property owner is not in town and keeps on leasing the space to one titty bar after another. Todd Blue (owner of the Mercantile Lofts)has tried unsuccessfully to buy the property. Not sad to see them go.