You read correctly! The latest news is that VCG Holding (locally known as the chain of PT’s gentlemen’s clubs) has bought out La Boheme Gentlemen’s Cabaret for $5 million, and took over operation just weeks ago. La Boheme is located just across from the Denver Convention Center. Rumors have run amuck for years that VCGH had been making offers to purchase La Boheme. VCGH currently runs six of Colorado’s adult entertainment night clubs: Diamond Cabaret, Penthouse, Club Inferno, PT’s Appaloosa, PT’s All Nude (Centerfolds), and PT’s Showclub.
La Boheme was formerly owned by Rusty Bullard. Prior to Rusty the club was owned by his father who had leased the same building. La Boheme has been in the Bullard family for nearly the last 40 years, being run under names such as the Red Garter and Sweet Dee’s Saloon. When Rusty took over he hired on Gidget, the buxom brunette club manager known in Denver for her classic pin-up looks, bubbly personality and business savvy, to help remodel and manage the club into a modern striptease club. Mission accomplished!
For the past few years La Boheme has been giving the PT’s chain a run for their money. The PT’s clubs have been working on the classic corporation hierarchy consisting of the board of directors, regional managers, and local club managers, leaving most of the clubs to be a Wal-mart version of strip clubs with particular clubs being less cared for than the top clubs with have higher profits from better customer demographics. Meanwhile Rusty and his team of managers have been able to micro manage every aspect of La Boheme. The result is a svelte gentlemen’s club with all the glitz and glamour of many of the popular Las Vegas clubs, complete with an Egyptian sarcophagus. Rusty and Gidget managed to take sex symbols like the fishnets of France, and wrap them up with a mass of other culture icons to produce a super sexy ambience like no other in Denver. The basement dressing room is spacious and well kept, particularly in comparison to many of the Denver clubs. The club consists of three primary stages, and on busy nights utilizes opposite ends of one of the bars as stages. In addition the club also boasts a nice VIP area known as the Pearl Room and on occasions a pole on a portable stage. For a more upscale cabaret feel the club is well put together. The club has become meeting grounds for everyone from college guys to the who’s who of Denver.
The customer service is also top notch, with the exception of the small town dancers who lack the understanding of hustling. However, La Boheme is not alone in this since it seems the majority of Denver’s dancers don’t understand customer friendliness. By the way ladies, is it really that hard to go up to a customer and say “Hello, how are you”? If it’s that difficult then you really need to find a different industry to work in! While Rusty has always wanted dancers to be friendly and not pushy, many of them are far too shy. The wait and bartending staff is very attentive though, and always on top of things. The club’s DJs play a mix of popular music and something new, always doing their job of “mixing it up”. On most nights that I’ve been into the club it was so packed with people that finding a seat is like finding a parking spot at the mall during the Christmas Season… and once you’ve found your seat you’ll think twice before getting up for any reason!
This great ambience, location and customer service though hasn’t not been the only reason the PT’s chain wanted their chunk of the action. For years La Boheme has been the only club in Colorado to bring in feature dancers and porn stars such as Jenna Haze to perform on stage. The club also plays host to the annual Adult Film Star Ball in August, which pulls in dozens of the top performers. This year’s list of special guests includes Ron Jeremy, Jesse Jane, Nikki Benz, Shy Love, Alektra Blue, Brandie Moses and many others. PT’s can now claim that they host one of the hottest events in the strip club industry and Denver. With tickets at $30 per person (not including beverages, dances, etc.) the event is affordable to the average Joe while still making the club a sizeable profit.
What does this buy out mean to local dancers though? This is a job, just like any other, and you better not mess it up! Getting fired from any of the PT’s clubs means you probably will not ever work in any of Denver’s top clubs, since La Boheme truly was one of the classiest independently owned clubs left in town.
As for me, I will be sitting back and watching to see what becomes of La Boheme. As long as PT’s continues to put money into it I expect it to be in the top two profit makers for the chain.
Rusty, I wish you best of luck, the ladies loved you! I hope you are sitting back and sipping a margarita on a gorgeous beach somewhere.
Gidget, you are awesome, I hope you got a slice of this deal!
For more information on the acquisition click here.
