Strip club's return upsets neighbors

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Written by: 195 on Jan 28, 2010

Raymond Lewis sees himself as a small businessman just trying to get back into the swing of things after a fire destroyed his livelihood.

Full swing, however, means women swaying from stripper poles inside his adult entertainment lounge.

While the club sits along the heavy commercial corridor at 37th Street and Skidaway Road, it also happens to bump against a residential neighborhood that one homeowner describes as "Ardsley Park homes without the Ardsley Park prices."

Neighbors who say they have tolerated noise, litter and patrons having sex in cars in front of their homes hoped the fire in late 2008 would put an end to their years of suffering.

"Something of that nature shouldn't be next to a family neighborhood," said Eddie Sasser, whose home is a few doors down from the lounge. "That ought be somewhere else."

But Raymond's is back in business, thanks to a liquor license the City Council unanimously approved late last year.

For Lewis, it came just in the nick of time.

As a nonconforming use, his strip club of 15 years and bar of 25 had to be back in business within one year of being out of operation. If he took longer, the city could consider it a new business that would have to comply with current zoning - which wouldn't include a neighborhood nudie bar.

Getting a liquor license

In asking for the liquor license, Lewis made several concessions. He dropped a request for Sunday sales. He agreed to reduce his occupancy load from a maximum of 150 to about 30. He promised to keep noise from the club from being heard on the street, and set up security cameras to monitor 37th Street. He also provided the two nearest residents his cell phone number so they can call him with complaints, according to a city memo.

Lewis says he is particular about what goes on within his block and in his club and is beginning to feel harassed by a Victory Heights neighborhood that blames him for any problems in the area. City inspectors and police are constant visitors, he said.

"I think it's because I beat them at their own game," said Lewis, 67. "I plan on being in business until the good Lord takes me away. I've got to eat. Who else is going to hire me?"

Alderman Larry Stuber, whose district includes Raymond's, says the approval came on the condition that Lewis control noise, litter and parking.

"The city is going to have to monitor that," Stuber said. "If Raymond's does not control it, based on adequate documentation of complaints, the mayor and alderman will need to vote to revoke his license. I hope it doesn't come to that. I honestly believe if he commits to the agreement, he can make it work."

Buddy Clay, the city's director of revenue, is charged with monitoring Lewis' compliance to his liquor license. Clay and Savannah-Chatham Interim Police Chief Willie Lovett say when police or alcohol control officers have responded to complaints, no violations have been found.

Both say their departments will diligently pursue any complaints reported.

"Even though I personally find the business distasteful, he is in compliance," Clay said. "I'm sure the nature of the business is a source of irritation to neighbors, and I don't want to diminish or make light of their concerns, but it does seem they're ganging up on the man. He's beginning to feel harassed."



Disruptive parking

The biggest problem, Clay and neighbors say, is from patrons who park away from the club.

"It's an adult entertainment lounge so patrons want to park as far away as possible," Clay said. "He's got another business offering lot space for parking, but customers don't want their wives driving by and seeing their cars."

Several residents, including retired city sanitation supervisor Lester Bullard, say patrons who arrive as early as 9 p.m. and leave as late at 2 a.m. crank up stereos, talk loudly and often leave trash in the street and in yards.

City officials who aren't seeing a problem, he said, "should come down here" to his block. All the neighbors say the problems aren't as bad as before the fire, but they worry about what will happen when warmer weather returns or if the city fails to respond to complaints.

The city is recommending putting up "No parking" signs in the residential block past Raymond's, Clay said.

Resident Deborah Chapman doesn't hold out much hope the city will do anything about Raymond's now that it is back in business. But if the noise and parking problems return, she promises to call police.

"When that fire closed him down, it got so quiet. It became a nice neighborhood again," she said. "Now there's no telling what you're going to hear."

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