Strip Club in Western Mass Wants To Convert Into 'Topless Dispensary,' Purportedly 1st In State

Submitted by HoldenGambles t3_11dobxl in massachusetts

Club Castaway, a strip club in Whately (Franklin County) that opened in 2019 and soon closed because of COVID, plans to reopen in a couple of months. But they are beginning the process to get the permits to begin selling recreational marijuana.

They'll have to get rid of the dancing and alcohol sales, but they plan to keep the titties. The owners say it's the first in the state and possibly in the country. I've never heard of one.

They also want to eventually have part of the building dedicated to being able to use marijuana there like drinking a beer at a bar.

The owners say they've agreed to purchase a provisional marijuana license from another company and are working out the regulatory aspects of making this a reality

It's an interesting idea. Surprised no one has thought of it yet.

Story: https://dailyvoice.com/massachusetts/hampshire-franklin/business/puff-puff-pass-on-the-shirts-whately-strip-club-wants-to-convert-to-topless-dispensary/857691/

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bleepbloopbluupp t1_ja9waxu wrote

Reminds me of the topless donut shop in Maine that was next to PT's showplace

123

ekac t1_jaa4qgr wrote

I mean they bought a strip club just before COVID. Now they're starting a dispensary as the Mass cannabis market is hitting critical mass. Good luck to them.

I imagine some old bags with burns all over their saggy titties from ashing joints in a cannabis bar. I'd probably check it out.

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user72230 t1_jaa8rfy wrote

Kinda gross....belongs in Florida

−9

Sea-Cantaloupe-4741 t1_jaadovr wrote

Opened in 2019???? Castaways has been there my entire life and I’m in my 30’s

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PuritanSettler1620 t1_jaah7a6 wrote

Absolutely disgusting! To think such vile and perfidious establishments should operate IN OUR STATE! It is not just absurd, but absolutely obscene! I am sick just thinking about it! Better leave that type of business to Nevada and Tortuga.

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BlaiddDrwg82 t1_jaahbtx wrote

Castaways was Castaways in the 90s when I was stopping at the Diner for 2am food after Haven on Tuesday nights.

Also, Castaways = gross.

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PsychologicalAgent64 t1_jaahv2c wrote

Smart idea and there is zero reason for anyone to be against it. Unless you literally just arrived from the Mayflower.

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drjoker83 t1_jaak0mm wrote

What can it hurt?… they actually sell more than other dispensaries.

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NativeMasshole t1_jaak7of wrote

There's still no on-site consumption allowed in Mass for dispensaries/cafes. The only way is to have a private members only club, which can't sell weed or alcohol. So, I have no idea how they think they'll get approved for a smoking lounge. And without that, the idea is just as ridiculous as a topless liquor store. There's no point in bringing entertainment into the transaction.

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fuertepqek t1_jaalcpq wrote

Who gives a shit about breasts? Give me ass and grass.

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greenglasstree t1_jaamfgx wrote

Replying to PsychologicalAgent64 (#2,082,740)

I understand why some people have non-moral objections to strip clubs and legal marijuana shops. They lower the valuation of the residential housing nearby.

For example, some towns have or had in recent history a ban on liquor stores and/or fast food restaurants. There's nothing morally wrong with alcohol, marijuana, strippers, tobacco, lottery tickets, fast food, or NASCAR race tracks, but having these things in your town does bring down housing valuation, which is a problem for the upper and upper middle classes.

−7

AbsentThatDay2 t1_jaamz7s wrote

I kind of feel that marijuana isn't that big of a deal that you need titties to sell it. Do they have extra marijuana, is that the issue? Grow less you gold diggers. Like we have some surplus of titties these jokers.

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PsychologicalAgent64 t1_jaamzd6 wrote

Replying to greenglasstree (#2,084,067)

The strip club is already in the neighborhood, so any affect it had on residential housing nearby has been dealt with. Marijuana is a legal product and business, so if that somehow affects your neighborhood anymore than the 10 liquor stores do, it's a problem with the people who live in that neighborhood. In the last 3 years, while marijuana has become legal, housing prices across most of the Commonwealth have skyrocketed.

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AbsentThatDay2 t1_jaana3c wrote

I visited a town that has a breakfast place called porn and eggs. It was a regular breakfast restaurant like waffle-house but they played porn on a bunch of TVs.

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StonksGuy3000 t1_jaanop5 wrote

Replying to PsychologicalAgent64 (#2,084,223)

I agree with your the majority of your point, but the last sentence is a bit superfluous. Housing is up significantly almost everywhere in the last 3 years, whether an area recently legalized or not. Might have something to do with us just printing trillions of dollars like it’s nothing

−8

Max_minutia t1_jaaso2r wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#2,085,157)

True. Ideally it wouldn’t be a feature. The crazies that believed breasts lead to satan and the pervs that need a drool cup whenever there is cleavage would destroy each other like matter/antimatter and then whenever it got hot out everywhere would became topless. MBBA. Make Boobs Boring Again !

−3

AmpiChic t1_jaat38y wrote

As long as I get hit barely cover studs I'm all in.

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Waggmans t1_jaaugqy wrote

Three of my favorite things.

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LackingUtility t1_jaawbs5 wrote

Replying to PsychologicalAgent64 (#2,082,740)

It’s a terrible idea. Most of the clientele of a dispensary would not be interested in strippers, so you end up reducing your patronage, not increasing it. Even the guys who would be interested will assume that prices will be higher than at the dispensary down the street, and there’s no alcohol or dancing to make up for it.

A night club with weed, alcohol, and live music would be a great thing. But a dispensary plus tits is like a restaurant plus tits - your market is a subset of the restaurant market, not a combination of “people who are hungry” and “people who like tits”.

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LackingUtility t1_jaay5pi wrote

Replying to PsychologicalAgent64 (#2,087,048)

Happily, but first, you have to demonstrate to me that you understand Venn diagrams and Boolean logic. Because I’m arguing that the populations do intersect, but that the market is A∩B, not AUB. If you would please provide a paragraph on each type of set and a paragraph discussing their distinctions, I’ll supply the requested research. I’d hate to waste both of our time if you couldn’t understand, you see.

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willett_art t1_jaayvhb wrote

Siri notify me when the topless dispensary opens Edit: y’all rly gay

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lorimar t1_jaaznom wrote

With pot profits down, I can see the points they raise here

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Rindan t1_jab1dbh wrote

A strip club where they serve weed instead of alcohol sounds like a brilliant idea. If absolutely nothing else, stoned patrons are a lot less likely to be a problem that drunk ones. Granted, that isn't what they are doing immediately, presumably because the state won't let them.

Personally, I wish they'd just legalize weed the way that alcohol is legal. I like going out. I like going out and sitting around with friends in a bar like environment. I just don't like drinking. If I drink, even if I don't drink enough to have fun, I get absolute shit sleep that night. If I drink enough to have fun, I'm going to get shit sleep and wake up feeling like absolute crap. On top of that, if I do it often, I get fat.

Weed on other hand though? If I smoke "too much" weed, I just have a really good nights sleep. I'd go out to the bars a lot more if worst price I was going to pay is a good nights sleep.

−1

Rindan t1_jab2o5v wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#2,086,350)

Yeah, and some women do it because they enjoy it and don't find it painful or shameful.

One of my friends was a stripper. She liked her job. No one put a gun to her head. She was a very fit lady and just didn't find her body shameful, and so she was quiet happy to be paid to show it off. She didn't need or want anyone like you to "save" her by taking away the option to be a stripper.

If we were really concerned about people being involved in involuntary sex work, we'd have a well regulated and legalized industry. Criminalizing sex work just means that criminals run sex work, police access is far more dangerous and unhelpful, and that there are no rules.

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ProdigiousNewt07 t1_jab2szg wrote

Replying to aaronroot (#2,085,787)

Commodifying women's bodies isn't the same as feminist freedom of choice. The only reason a topless dispensary is even being considered a viable business option is because women's bodies are so heavily sexualized and objectified.

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pinko-perchik t1_jab3c2k wrote

Wait, topless but no dancing? Is there some law prohibiting the act of moving one’s body to music in a dispensary, while permitting toplessness?

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Peterbilt2011 t1_jab4c4i wrote

What strippers would work there ? If they get a license, 5 years from now they”ll be laughing about how awful the the strip club business is.

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PsychologicalAgent64 t1_jab5yr7 wrote

Replying to LackingUtility (#2,087,542)

Unfortunately that's not how a discussion works. The person who makes the claim, you, is the one with the burden to prove the argument. If I say "hey there are 150ft salamanders outside" it is my job to prove that statement, not to then require others to provide different information to somehow back up my original claim. 🤷

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LackingUtility t1_jab9rpj wrote

Replying to PsychologicalAgent64 (#2,089,819)

And I willingly agreed to do so, once you prove your claim that you’d understand the research, since that’s in doubt based on the above. To use your analogy, you say there are 150 ft. salamanders outside, I insist you show research that the earth is flat, and you pause and ask if I’m an idiot and would even understand the concept of research, much less the specifics you’re asking for.

Accordingly, please provide the requested paragraphs. Once you’ve demonstrated that we’re having a discussion on good faith between reasonable people, I will present my research. If you cannot, I can only assume that we’re not having such a discussion, in which case I’m certainly not obligated to do all the work for you.

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Max_minutia t1_jabbjat wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#2,086,772)

Of coarse! Are you? You propose a silly notion like not using sex to sell things. Good luck with that. Even in the middle east men ogle over seeing ankles. Specifically because its part of the little amount of skin they can see. So it gets fetishized and turned into a point of objectification. The solution is thereby easy. Make nudity so commonplace it becomes unimportant. There’s a reason why indigenous tribes don’t starve to death from their men staring at their women all day instead of hunting. But you go ahead and try selling what you are selling. It only hasn’t worked ever.

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PsychologicalAgent64 t1_jabjktq wrote

Replying to BU0989 (#2,093,566)

Where did I say I was "thirsty" to see boobs? I said thet nobody should have a problem with this business existing. I don't even know where this town is because it's so far away from me. So I'm certain I'll never be there. I wouldn't drive more than 15 minutes to buy weed or see boobs. 🤷

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BoostdmarkII t1_jabkaeh wrote

Replying to qmccaffery (#2,093,667)

I think he ment in general not that your the guy who needs to see the tig ole biggies. From what i can read you two actually agree so now kiss and make up .

From... jerry springers nephews uncles coiuisns sisters brother only on the internet sometimes lmao

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ilikethcntrout t1_jabl83f wrote

Denver has shotgun willies which is a rec dispensary that shares a building with shotgun willies gentleman’s club

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sporky211 t1_jabvamu wrote

How is this going to work though, for instance will it be listed under something like a cannabis cafe or will it be purely dispensary because he does say in the future he wants both on the property. Anyone know the current laws on if you can sell and have people consume on the same property?

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chrisrobweeks t1_jaccpgq wrote

Was lovingly known as "Porn in the Corn" or the "Whately Valet" if you want to be classy.

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Inc0nel t1_jace7tx wrote

Ahh the ole Whately Ballet. A fine establishment.

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Pedromac t1_jacfhdg wrote

Replying to Tichrom (#2,080,693)

Woah! What on earth are you proposing here? What kinda free market, the people will decide if a business lives or dies by whether or not they shop there, crazy ideas are you promoting?

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Kodiak01 t1_jacfyhz wrote

>Club Castaway, a strip club in Whately (Franklin County) that opened in 2019

Opened in 2019? Only a few decades off.

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Last_Eph_Standing t1_jachwnl wrote

Replying to BU0989 (#2,093,566)

I would love to see boobs when I buy weed. I love weed and I love boobs. I see boobs all the time, why wouldn't I want to increase the frequency at which my eyes get treated by boobs? Boobs would enhance the overall buying experience. It's literally a value-add proposition lmao.

The issue with this idea would be the harassment the ladies would undoubtedly be subjected to. I can imagine some creepy situations arising from this idea.

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quetejodas t1_jacis01 wrote

You can just buy a provisional license from another company? Do you have to do business under their name? No application needs to be submitted?

Edit; I wonder if they'll have specific nights where male budtenders serve you naked as well.

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BrokedownAlice69 t1_jacnozo wrote

Replying to wittgensteins-boat (#2,099,828)

Read again… talking about the future. The first pot clubs are about to open in the state. Places will be able to do it this year… not my scene at all. The last thing I want to do when getting high is to look at topless women who are getting stared at like objects. I’ve never had any desire to go to any topless place. Weird

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Lastexit25 t1_jacnuut wrote

I got thrown out of there years and years ago during the day with my buddies because the only girl dancing was 9 months pregnant and we couldn't stop laughing.

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UniqueCartel t1_jacpvyy wrote

Amazing. Would love to be in those uncomfortable board meetings the town will have. Btw there’s no way that gets passed. There’s no way the CCC gives them a license. And there’s no way the town approves it as a dispensary location. Great idea though. Taking big swings. Love it

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TTtheFish t1_jacrnlj wrote

If the prices are the same, I'm choosing the shop with boobs in it.

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_kaetee t1_jact0u2 wrote

I don’t really go to the dispensary to hang out; I just wanna get my shit and get out of there. Don’t think many people are gonna wanna wait in a longer line than usual to buy their weed, regardless of whether or not tiddies are involved.

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Tootie0 t1_jacvw91 wrote

I can't imagine what the tips would be. Alcohol opens the wallet, weed I'm not sure...

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Bustychipmunks t1_jacyzpe wrote

Ok sorry if this sounds judgy but straight men: can you please explain the purpose of this to me? It’s not a whorehouse so you can’t touch. Dispensaries don’t usually allow you to linger so you can’t look. Usually the purpose of the shop is to look and browse through the products but since you can’t try them out, you’re just adding a distraction on top of the shopping.

Are y’all really struggling to see tits this badly?

0

MediumDrink t1_jad1qoy wrote

Replying to BlaiddDrwg82 (#2,082,570)

I remember going there as a UMASS student in 2005-2007. This place has been around. And agreed; always disgusting. It sort of felt like the lot lizards for the truckers sleeping next to the diner were scoping out their prey.

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Mr-Chewy-Biteums t1_jad2lf0 wrote

Replying to onewithoutasoul (#2,104,019)

Yes, sort of. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that back in the day, Haven was the goth night at Diva's - which was the club upstairs in the building with the Sheriff's office.

Neither are there anymore. Diva's closed a few years ago and the Sheriff's office moved over to an office park near Hospital Hill.

I think Haven has bounced around to a few other clubs over the years.

​

Thank you

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warlocc_ t1_jad7ifv wrote

Replying to Bustychipmunks (#2,107,884)

At the end of the day, adding "partly to fully naked ladies" to a business model has been a thing for a very long time, all over the world.

There's been airlines, restaurants, various stores, weather channels, all sorts of things. Some are even successful (Hooters, anyone?). I'm honestly a little surprised "topless dispensary" is a new idea.

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warlocc_ t1_jad7ksg wrote

I can't see them being allowed to do it with the kinds of people in charge in this state, but I wish them luck.

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SLEEyawnPY t1_jadhgu2 wrote

Replying to warlocc_ (#2,110,651)

>I'm honestly a little surprised "topless dispensary" is a new idea.

The type of idea usually attempted by the type of person who tends to figure the only reason there aren't any, must be because nobody before them had the ability to come up with the idea.

>(Hooters, anyone?)

The concepts of having not-topless women serve wings and topless women sell weed may sound superficially similar, but they're light years apart from a business-model perspective.

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SLEEyawnPY t1_jadmmkv wrote

Replying to BU0989 (#2,092,359)

Yes, anybody willing to put up with 90% of the level of shit as some other kind of sex worker can make much better money doing something other than fucking RETAIL.

All these dispensaries and smoke shops are cut to the bone on staffing already to compete with each other on price. There's never more than one employee in any of them near me, and they can't be bothered to even stand up to do shit the vast majority of the time. Given what they're likely getting paid, I hardly blame them.

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the_sky_god15 t1_jado9fg wrote

So ridiculous that you even need a license from the state to do something like this. marijuana strip clubs are the most American thing imaginable.

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SLEEyawnPY t1_jadpfru wrote

Replying to LackingUtility (#2,086,970)

>"It may surprise you, but we’ve never had a shortage of employees who wanted to work at Castaways," he said. "I do think, some of our former employees that we’ve worked with would love to be involved with something like this."

What they mean is that some of their former employees have told them what they want to hear to stay in their good graces, on the off chance the owners come to their senses and re-open as just a regular club again.

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wittgensteins-boat t1_jae3ru3 wrote

Replying to BlaiddDrwg82 (#2,082,570)

Not clear if it is zoned properly tor a dispensary. May have to go to town meeting to change the zoning to Commercial Industrial, where dispensaries are allowed.

Transfer of license is a shot in the dark, and at a new location, new owners, so a complete regulatory review is required.

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suntaug t1_jaeekea wrote

Ah the good ol Porn in the Corn

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