- Kelly O
- Quit yer Jiggling!
This morning, King County Superior Judge Suzanne Barnett granted the city’s request to shut down Jiggles Gentlemen’s Club on the grounds that it was violating city laws that prohibit strip clubs from operating within 800 feet of areas where children gather and play. The decision puts roughly 40 Jiggles employees out of work, effective immediately.
“The location of this business, in close proximity to a park, school, and a daycare are sufficient to enjoin the activity,” Barnett said, after listening to an hour’s worth of arguments from city attorneys Carlton Seu and Bob Tobin. Kristin Olson—who represented Jiggles’s owner Bob Davis—argued that the club has had the proper business licenses since 2007 (before the 800-foot
buffer zone rule was enacted).
Barnett seemed sympathetic to Olson’s arguments throughout the hearing—even challenging the city attorneys’ arguments on several occasions. But ultimately, Olson didn’t convince the judge that shutting down Jiggles would violate Davis’s 1st Amendment right to free speech, or that the permits Davis had in place were adequate. “The buffer zones are reasonable, they’re not contested, I intend and will grant the city’s request for injunctive relief,” Barnett announced to a courtroom sparsely populated with city staffers and attorneys. Addressing Olson’s argument that Davis’s business had the proper permits to operate, Barnett said, “The business license is separate and apart from zoning approval. I think Mr. Tobin even said the purpose of the business license is to raise revenue for the city,” not dictate a building’s use.
“I’m rather shocked,” Olson said after Barnett’s explained her decision.
She has good reason to be—Olson and Davis as a team have a successful track record challenging the city on its archaic strip club views. When interviewed a few weeks ago, Davis has said he’d be willing to challenge this decision in a higher court. Olson couldn’t speak to what Davis’s next step should be. “I don’t know what to say. It really seemed she was going our way.”
lame Barnett, really lame
Popup Pete Holmes scores a run, but the game ain’t over yet.
Maybe they should have stopped trying to game the system and opened up next to the Sunny Jim factory location?
So a bar full of degenerates (acros the street) is okay, but a strip club will destroy the community moral fiber.
Sure.
PS…I meant the “degenerate” thing in the best possible way.
Lame. I’ll have you know that Jiggles is bringing extra money into my favorite bar, Dante’s. The ladies often stop by before their late afternoon shift and grab lunch. Way to help out the local economy, prudes.
How about this for a next step: If you don’t like the law, work to get it changed, rather than just trying to pretend it doesn’t exist.
@5 you just say that cause it’s not a Stranger hangout.
@7 for the obvious win.
The sight of children offends me. Not only should they be kept behind closed doors, but they should be prohibited from congregating anywhere within 800 feet of an adult establishment. Because god forbid, a stripper might be exposed to one of them and end up psychologically damaged as a result.
@7 Often the best way to change laws is by challenging their validity in court, which is exactly what this guy has been doing. Perhaps Mr. Davis was expecting this and intends to continue litigation as this post suggests.
On the other hand, it seems like a “simple” relocation would faster and possibly cheaper.
I doubt Jiggles has “40 employees.” The dancers are contractors who likely pay for stage time and shifts. Likely they will be able to do the same thing at the other multitude of strip joints around. I think this whole situation is pretty stupid, but hey, Jiggles put up a good fight and lost. Not a huge loss to the community or property rights as far as I’m concerned.
@11 What?
mul·ti·tude (mlt-td, -tyd)
n.
1. The condition or quality of being numerous.
2. A very great number.
3. The masses; the populace: the concerns of the multitude.
I’m sure the frats are despondent over this.
Whatever, just move Jiggles to a spot that doesn’t violate city code.
If the city doesn’t like Jiggles where it is, then it can pay for them to move.
@15: Yes, I’m sure that’s just how citizens want their tax dollars spent.
Mr.X@17 (and in passing bigyaz@7): the article asserts that Jiggles opened before the restrictions were put in place. Do you have evidence to the contrary?
This dumbass opened a strip club directly across the street from an elementary school knowing full well what the city law prohibits such a businessto operate in such close proximity. I have no sympathy for someone that stupid.
So, nothing of value was lost. Cool!
Mr. X–
Comedy club or strip club, I really don’t see why it matters. No kids are allowed in either one, presumably.
@12 It is my belief that there is a great number of “gentleman’s clubs” in the Seattle area. Displaced contract workers will likely be able to enter into a similar agreement with one of these establishments. Hope that clears up any confusion.
Man, I don’t get it. You guys are siding with the city? I guess I’m just used to Portland, where we don’t have these silly rules.