If You Bought Rick's for $2.35 Million, Please Come Forward
Yesterday, the Feds made some extra spending cash by selling what may be the last piece of the Seattle area's dwindling seedy underbelly. But they won't tell us who bought it, and we're dying to know.
Rick's, the crown jewel of Lake City Way, became the property of the government when its owner, everyone's favorite Danny DeVito look-alike and mob boss, Frank Colacurcio Sr., was nabbed for the last time, following a complex sting and plenty of headline-grabbing news. Now, Rick's is moving on to a new chapter. This morning, the AP ran a story about yesterday's auction, which was held at the strip club itself, on a stage that used to host strippers. From the article:
The winning bidders, one dressed in a suit and wearing dark sunglasses, hurriedly walked away from reporters waiting outside the club, driving away in a black Audi.
Who is this Audi driver? Some in the crowd at the auction were speculating that the owners of Déjà Vu had placed the final bid, though the attorney for the purchaser (that would be the attorney who represents someone who just dropped more than $2 million on a strip club) declined to say anything other than that the winning bidder did not own that particular chain of clubs.
Of course, stripping in and around Seattle isn't an easy business. Requiring a bit of start-up cash from performers (dancers are usually expected to get a business license and essentially work on contract), consistently meeting with bad press and angry neighbors, and trying to attract clients without the ability to serve booze all work against the adult entertainment industry. However, due to Lake City Way's reputation as the last vestiges of anything resembling a skid row, the building that once housed Rick's seems like a sound investment for anyone looking to get involved in the business.
So who are you, suited buyer? If you're now in possession of this most hallowed piece of land, please send us an email. We'd love an exclusive interview.
