Only two months after the unionized strippers at The City's Lusty Lady Theater won a battle with management that led to the reestablishment of their maximum hourly rate to $27 an hour, the coin-operated peep show club is shutting down.
The Lusty Lady, which opened in the early 80's, is slated to go dark in May according to a letter employees received as they arrived at work Monday.
More than 120 employees, mostly dancers, are slated to lose their jobs.
"It hasn't really set in, but it's a mixed blessing, I guess," said an employee who asked to remained anonymous. "There's definitely been a downturn in business and it's certainly not making the same money it used to."
A spokeswoman for the owner, Multivue Inc., said "Our general manager is retiring for personal reasons and we can't do it anymore."
The company also owns a Lusty Lady Theater in Seattle. That one is not slated to close.
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