Penthouse Strip Club on 8 mile closed for year for prostitution, solicitation
A strip club on 8 Mile has been ordered to shut down, sell the fixtures inside, and padlock the door after a Detroit police investigation revealed it was participating in prostitution and solicitation.
The Penthouse Strip Club on 8 Mile was ordered closed Tuesday afternoon. According to the ruling made by the judge, the strip club will be padlocked and must sell everything inside.
The Detroit Law Department told FOX 2 on Tuesday that the club has been ticketed and suspended for years for several infractions.
Detroit Police Chief James Craig spoke in front of the Penthouse Club on Wednesday, saying the club had been warned multiple times to clean up its act.
"What's very troubling about this place, the owner says it's quality night spot and says it's good for the community. He was warned and educated the city would not tolerate prostitution and illegal drug use. They did nothing," Craig said.
The chief said what happened to the Penthouse Club can happen to other businesses who ignore warnings from the police and from the city's law department.
"This should serve as warning to any other owners of adult entertainment inside Detroit: If you engage, we will engage. We're relentless and we will not give up. We fight for our community. The comm says they don't want it here and we're not going to allow it," Craig said. "If you do it by the law, we have no problems."
Craig and spokespersons from the city's law department said they had settled with the business to stop engaging in prostitution. At one point, the club shut down for three months, remodeled, and reopened with the city's approval. The city said the club then undid the remodel and reverted back to their previous business practices.
The city says the shut down and padlock is permitted under the state's nuisance law.