Elle (C), a dancer at the Chivalry Gentlemen's Lounge strip club, looks at Kiki (L) while performing in a customised bus where they will entertain clients in Johannesburg, on June 25, 2020. Due to the South Africa lockdown regulations that sees public places like pubs, restaurants and strip clubs closed to the public, The Chivalry Gentlemen’s Lounge in Johannesburg found a creative way to operate and fitted a bus to provide clients with a "mobile strip service”. Michele Spatari / AFP
Earlier this month, Candy’s Revue Bar, a Port Elizabeth-based club, advertised its “strip-through’, which is like a drive-thru that combines alcohol sales with a strip show.
And now, Johannesburg’s popular Chivalry Gentlemen’s Lounge in Germiston, is taking their show on the road, literally.
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“Chivalry Mobile Gentlemen’s Lounge now offers you the Chivalry experience on wheels,” Keenan Minne, the lounge’s social media and marketing manager, told The Citizen.
He said COVID-19 and subsequent lockdown has affected gentlemen’s clubs worldwide and, like all businesses have done, Chivalry was forced to rethink how it continues to survive in these trying times.
“We believe this is possibly the first time in the history of strip clubs that this worldwide phenomenon has occurred simultaneously. Like every other business owner, our income came to an immediate stop yet we still had staff to support financially who in turn had to support their families,” said Minne.
With strip clubs nowhere on the list of business allowed to open again under the President’s recent announcement, Chivalry smartly decided to make use of the allowances provided under level-3 for bus services and public transport.
“Under lockdown level-3, buses are permitted to operate at 50% certified carrying capacity. In light of these conditions, we had to be creative and innovative in our business thinking in order to earn some form of income.
“As we already had a bus in our fleet, we decided to offer our services as a mobile gentlemen’s lounge temporarily until restrictions are further relaxed.”
The tastefully kitted out bus experience includes music videos on a flat screen TV and entertainment by Chivalry’s exotic dancers – all the while adhering to strict social distancing protocols.
Gentle lighting ensures club ambience and the windows are darkly tinted for privacy of clients and dancers alike.
The interior of the bus offers upmarket white leather seating, air-conditioning, a refreshment station (non-alcoholic in terms of level 3 conditions), flat screen TV, LED strip lighting, sound system and mirrors.
Unlike other businesses who have been able to open, Minne says the lounge is still awaiting word on when our business may open.
“All indications are that this will likely only occur when level-1 lockdown is announced, and even then, with restrictions.”
Minne said the lockdown and COVID-19 has had a severe impact on not only their exotic dancers, but every single one of their valued staff members and that this is just one way that the business can help ensure that some staff are still paid.
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