Vintage joints that you used to hang out in.

[Mike Mercury]

The York Hotel on Notre Dame just east of University, right next to the old Le Baron store.
They had pasty and and g-string dancers during the day and week nights. In the weekend evenings burlesque show. A 50 something female singer started the show, She was always the same. Then there would be an acrobat or a comedian. Then a real stripper with real stripper props.
There was a steakhouse there too. Good steaks.

The Beaukiri in the old Colonial Hotel just south of the Windsor Hotel below Dorchester, on what was then Windsor but is now Peel.
A tudor style building with torches burning outside. Inside there were three of four gogo cages with dancers (pasties and g-strings) all the time. It was a high ceiling place with a mezzanine where the girls used to sit together.

I must been in those places fifty times each.

 

[hungry101]

Grand Prix

How about the Grand Prix. The 1st time I visited Montreal was in 2001 for a conference. I stayed at the Omni and ordered an SP and had the time of my life. The doorman suggested the Grand Prix on the outskirts of town. Actually it was in the middle of nowhere. I went there and thought I died and went to heavan.

 

[Mike Mercury]

Shed 25. The topless joint on Notre Dame East. Right next to the Catelli plant and near the Johnson & Johnson factory. This was slumming man. Worse than Miss Dorion.

Don`t confuse this with the prior club located elsewhere belonging to Terry Evanshen.

 

[Techman]

The Shack on Ste-Catherine, where Club Downtown is now. The largest part of the club was a disco and the strip club was in the front of the club with a translucent window behind the stage so that you could see the outline of the dancer on stage from down on the street. There was always a group of tourists watching from across the street. We used to live in that club back then and one of my buddies married one of the dancers. At the beginning the dancers wore pasties and when the club closed, it was all nude.

The Charmeuses on Peel, sister club of SuperSexe at the time. Actually had live bands when it first opened. Back then all the clubs had feature dancers and they would feature one week at SuperSexe and the next week at Charmeuses. Almost married a feature dancer that worked there! I remember two sisters working there and their mother worked the coatroom.

There was also the infamous Sextuple up on St-Laurent. Two floors with the top floor open over the main floor and the stage. Didn't spend much time there but the times I did go there were great.

Then there was the original Fille d'Eve on Stanley, downstairs from a Disco the name of which I've forgotten. It was a classic style stripjoint with the bar surrounding the stage so that you couldn't get near the dancers during their show. I got my first table dance there from the girl who went on to be the dancer who challenged the contact dance law many years later. * Remembered the name of the disco...it was the Lorelei. The building burned down and was never rebuilt. It's an empty lot to this day.

Benson, I remember the Edgewater very fondly! Spent a lot of time there on weekend afternoons having drinks by the pool with dancers from other clubs. I really miss that place along with the Maples where I saw some great rock bands over the years. And of course Alfies was one of a kind. Alfie had to be the sleaziest guy on the mike of all time.

And there was the Harem, Coeur de l'Eden, the Cactus, and so many others that I can't remember their names.

I probably fell in 'love' at least once in each bar over the years!

I miss the days of feature dancers and dancers who actualyy knew how to dance and did their best to put on a show on stage. Strip clubs these days just don't measure up to the ones that paved the way!

 

[protagoras]

And there was the Harem, Coeur de l'Eden, the Cactus, and so many others that I can't remember their names.

I miss the days of feature dancers and dancers who actualyy knew how to dance and did their best to put on a show on stage. Strip clubs these days just don't measure up to the ones that paved the way!

Not to mention Le Pot au feu (on Gouin, just in front of Hôpital sacré-Coeur), Castel Tina, (Jarry) Café Domino (aka Café des Ponts on Gouin and Pie IX), Le Tango vert (on Jarry), Strip Charles (Kirkland), Sexi-Bon (on Ste Catherine), Le Gaulois (on Jarry), Le Concorde (on Boulevard de La Concorde, in Laval. It was owned by Fernand Gignac. It was on the second floor. The building is still there. On the first floor it's a chinese restaurant and on the second there are several offices).

You should know that then the dancers were payed to dance. It was 50$ per day and they didn't have to a bar service. 30 years ago a dancer could easily earn more than 1,500$ a week. You should also know that most of the girls were not doing drugs then (but some of them were dinking).

 

[eastender]

Castel Tina

Not to mention Le Pot au feu (on Gouin, just in front of Hôpital sacré-Coeur), Castel Tina, (Jarry) Café Domino (aka Café des Ponts on Gouin and Pie IX), Le Tango vert (on Jarry), Strip Charles (Kirkland), Sexi-Bon (on Ste Catherine), Le Gaulois (on Jarry), Le Concorde (on Boulevard de La Concorde, in Laval. It was owned by Fernand Gignac. It was on the second floor. The building is still there. On the first floor it's a chinese restaurant and on the second there are several offices).

You should know that then the dancers were payed to dance. It was 50$ per day and they didn't have to a bar service. 30 years ago a dancer could easily earn more than 1,500$ a week. You should also know that most of the girls were not doing drugs then (but some of them were dinking).

Castel Tina was on the northwest corner of Jean Talon and Viau, actually on the small cut-off from Viau as you head south that allows you to make the right turn onto Jean Talon.It used to alternate from the basement bar - east side enterance to the upstairs bar - west side entrance.

Previous to being called the Castel Tina it was also known as Le Cossack and Le Steppe. Owners included the late Claude Andray(victim of an unsolved homicide in the 1970's) passing down to the Gervasi family at the end.

 

[chateaulafite]

Cafe Caprice on St-Denis St. (north of Mont-Royal)

with SexTuple and l'Axe were my first strips places when I was 16 (that means 32 years ago)

But what I remember the most of that period, is the XXX Cinema on St-Michel and Jarry.

 

[eastender]

Cafe Caprice

Cafe Caprice on St-Denis St. (north of Mont-Royal)

with SexTuple and l'Axe were my first strips places when I was 16 (that means 32 years ago)

But what I remember the most of that period, is the XXX Cinema on St-Michel and Jarry.

Cafe Caprice was on the east side of St.Denis. On the west side closer to Villeneuve was the alternative bar of the era.

 

[Techman]

Not to mention Le Pot au feu (on Gouin, just in front of Hôpital sacré-Coeur), Castel Tina, (Jarry) Café Domino (aka Café des Ponts on Gouin and Pie IX), Le Tango vert (on Jarry), Strip Charles (Kirkland), Sexi-Bon (on Ste Catherine), Le Gaulois (on Jarry), Le Concorde (on Boulevard de La Concorde, in Laval. It was owned by Fernand Gignac. It was on the second floor. The building is still there. On the first floor it's a chinese restaurant and on the second there are several offices).

You should know that then the dancers were payed to dance. It was 50$ per day and they didn't have to a bar service. 30 years ago a dancer could easily earn more than 1,500$ a week. You should also know that most of the girls were not doing drugs then (but some of them were dinking).

Don't forget that the dancers also used to serve the tables doubling as waitresses. It was a great way to get to know the lady before getting her to dance at the extremely high price of $3 a dance or usually 3 dances for $10 with a buck tip!

My gf at the time used to easily make $1000/week when you added up her salary, tips and dance money. When dances were slow, there was always money from tips for serving the tables.

These days we have to wait for a booth to be free to get a girl to dance, back then we had to with for her to find a 'box', a little portable stage, to dance on at the table. And she couildn't sit at the table having a drink and chatting while waiting either because that could lead to getting busted for 'fraternization' or at the very least, getting hell from the boss.

The good ol' days!

 

[protagoras]

Castel Tina was on the northwest corner of Jean Talon and Viau, actually on the small cut-off from Viau as you head south that allows you to make the right turn onto Jean Talon.It used to alternate from the basement bar - east side enterance to the upstairs bar - west side entrance.

Previous to being called the Castel Tina it was also known as Le Cossack and Le Steppe. Owners included the late Claude Andray(victim of an unsolved homicide in the 1970's) passing down to the Gervasi family at the end.

You're right, Castel Tina was on Viau and Jean Talon (in front of the McDonald). I remember that the last manager was an Italian guy whose name was Salvatore. I don't know if he was a Gervasi.

There was another club (almost an underground one because there was no sign outside) in St-Leonard on Boulevard des Grandes Praires on the corner of a street whose name I forgot. (I drove by in that area last week and I saw that the former local is now a «garderie»). It was a FS club in the middle of Montreal.

On Jarry, Castel Tina was good. One of the three haitians sisters (the good looking one was a star down there -she danced also at Castel Tina. As I don't remember her stage name I wont mention it here. The two other sisters were Tanya and Emnmanuelle (both stage names).

 

[Mike Mercury]

On Langelier (or Lacordaire) near Jarry was le Coeur d`Eden. Someone bombed the place once. That was in the mid 80`s.

Early to mid 70`s le Robot Bar on Gouin East in RdP. RdP was a run down pit of a backwater then.

One thing about the dancers serving at tables. If we go back to the 80`s; bars in Mississauga ON went to nude dancing and to attract talent the girls did not have to serve tables. This may have had an effect on the Montreal scene.
I personnally like being served by the dancers. Also I think they had something to do rather than all sit together chain smoking looking bored and then getting up once in while to hustle the customers.

 

[protagoras]

Not only they were serving at the tables but they were also cleaning them.

To remain in the East part of Montreal, there was also a joint which name was Coeur-Atout. Unfortunately, I have only faint memory of it (I went there only once). I only remember that it was on a East-West street near Delorimier (and Bellechasse, Bélanger, Masson?). (In that area, there was also a sleazy club on the corner of Rosemont and Delorimier - if I remember it well. It was located just beside Capri restaurant).

There were also dancers at Chez Roger on Beaubien.

There was also a club on the corner of Pie IX and Jean-Talon (South-West corner), just in front of the Shopping Center. Finally, there was also a club on Pie IX between Chez Mado and Metropolitain. It was in the second floor of a small shopping center (a few blocks South of Des Grandres Prairies.)

The ugliest club in Montreal was on St-Laurent, in front of Jarry Park (just south of Jarry). It was located in a former factory. The club didn't last long, maybe a month.

For those who remember Le shack, one of the doorman (a Golden Gloves champion ) - an Haitian guy (of light complexion) who also used to work, later, at Strip Charles and in a Club in St-Jérôme or Saint-Antoine (chez Bull aka L'Espagnola) was my training partner in the early 80's.

I think that in the 70's and 80's - the heydays of topless bar in Montrea - there were 5x more clubs than today (and maybe more).l

 

[eastender]

Contact

On Langelier (or Lacordaire) near Jarry was le Coeur d`Eden. Someone bombed the place once. That was in the mid 80`s.

Early to mid 70`s le Robot Bar on Gouin East in RdP. RdP was a run down pit of a backwater then.

One thing about the dancers serving at tables. If we go back to the 80`s; bars in Mississauga ON went to nude dancing and to attract talent the girls did not have to serve tables. This may have had an effect on the Montreal scene.
I personnally like being served by the dancers. Also I think they had something to do rather than all sit together chain smoking looking bored and then getting up once in while to hustle the customers.

Once contact was permitted, serving drinks was no longer part of the job description for health and other practical reasons.

 

[eastender]

Rosemonnt

Not only they were serving at the tables but they were also cleaning them.

To remain in the East part of Montreal, there was also a joint which name was Coeur-Atout. Unfortunately, I have only faint memory of it (I went there only once). I only remember that it was on a East-West street near Delorimier (and Bellechasse, Bélanger, Masson?). (In that area, there was also a sleazy club on the corner of Rosemont and Delorimier - if I remember it well. It was located just beside Capri restaurant).

There were also dancers at Chez Roger on Beaubien.

There was also a club on the corner of Pie IX and Jean-Talon (South-West corner), just in front of the Shopping Center. Finally, there was also a club on Pie IX between Chez Mado and Metropolitain. It was in the second floor of a small shopping center (a few blocks South of Des Grandres Prairies.)

The ugliest club in Montreal was on St-Laurent, in front of Jarry Park (just south of Jarry). It was located in a former factory. The club didn't last long, maybe a month.

For those who remember Le shack, one of the doorman (a Golden Gloves champion ) - an Haitian guy (of light complexion) who also used to work, later, at Strip Charles and in a Club in St-Jérôme or Saint-Antoine (chez Bull aka L'Espagnola) was my training partner in the early 80's.

I think that in the 70's and 80's - the heydays of topless bar in Montrea - there were 5x more clubs than today (and maybe more).l

There used to be a number of clubs that bordered on the Rosemont district but not actually in Rosemont. Jean Drapeau thing about his old neighbourhood.

There were others - late 1960's SW corner Iberville and Mt.Royal - forgot the name but not the owner.PM me with guesses as I am not posting the name.

On Letourneaux, east side below Adam, forget the name, ran for a while when it was discovered that the bar had a valid spectacle permit.

The infamous Lodeo - NW corner St.Laurent and Lagauchetiere was a famous hole, made Cleo's look upscale. Had one of the more famous bouncers. Mr. Z.

Also there were the original topless waitress restaurants - early to mid 1970's, On Robert in St. Leonard, on Masson, south side just east of Cartier, and SW corner Masson and Iberville - Le Sel et Poivre which closed after one of the waitresses stabbed the owner to death because of harassment.

Chez Roger ? Infamous hole in the wall north side between St.Laurent and St. Dominique
with monthly gunfire.

Also the one up on the east side of St.Laurent below Cremazie with the mermaids - Bull Gregory's place.

 

[Mike Mercury]

Once contact was permitted, serving drinks was no longer part of the job description for health and other practical reasons.

That reminds me of the Maxi Sex in Mascouche. Late 70s early 80s

5-10-15. At $15 the patrons were licking the girls, this was done for all to see.
You'd see drunk guys datying away, only taking time out to come up for air, swig a beer, and haul on cigarette.


What a dump.
No soap in in the washrooms. I never drank from the glasses.

 

[Techman]

Once contact was permitted, serving drinks was no longer part of the job description for health and other practical reasons.

Dancers stopped their serving duties long before contact became the norm in strip clubs. I really don't know why the clubs started hiring waitresses, but it really changed the atmosphere in the clubs. It gave a way for a dancer to get a guy interested and not seem like she was on the hunt for dances. I agree with Mike that I used to like being served by the dancers and it gave customers a chance to get to know them a bit better.

But the clubs were smaller in those days and had fewer dancers on the floor. These days it would be pretty difficult to have dancers serving tables when in some clubs you have upwards of 40 girls on the floor some nights.

But one thing I really miss is seeing girls on stage that knew how to dance and actually tried to put on a show to entertain the customers. SuperSexe was probably the best in that aspect with girls getting together to put on CanCan and other shows. And the highlite of the year was always the Tits for Tots benefit that they put on every holiday season with the legendary Fonda Peters who is sadly no longer with us.

Those were the days!

 

[Mike Mercury]

I remember eating lunch or supper next to the stage.
The girl would come for her third dance she'd spread out a blanket so she could spread out lying down When she spread the blanket the air would blow around raising whatever was on the floor and blowing it toward our supper dishes. Neat, eh?.

Eventually the blankets on the stage spread the pussy dances were replaced by girls lying on private tables so that the gyno pervs could get a gyno view. Supersex had that for a while in the 80's.

 

[Touch]

Memories

This thread brings back so many memories:

I forgot that dancers used to be waitresses too, once upon a time. When they had a dance going, of course, they forgot they were supposed to be waitresses too; the owners eventually noticed this built-in conflict of interest.

Do you remember the smoke? Especially Wanda’s in the early 80s -- it was a low-ceilinged semi-basement and smoke so thick there was really no difference between smoking and second hand smoke.

There was also a long period when the legal status of contact dancing was unclear. Alfie’s and Teazers often pushed the limits. Sometimes they would be daring and sometimes paranoid. No one really knew what the rules were for several years. There were some real police raids in downtown clubs. Back in the CanBest days, some strip club hobbyists did get arrested. More than once I was mistaken for an undercover cop and treated like a total leper in a couple of clubs.

BTW: Does anyone remember a club -- maybe on Crescent or Mountain in the late 70’s that had an external wall with gold concrete breast-shapes festooned on it? I never went to clubs back then but was fascinated by it. Can’t remember the name…Any help with the name?

Touch

 

[Techman]

How could I forget the blanket floor shows! You learned to be really fast to either move your drink or cover it up when you sat by the stage! That's another thing that has mostly disappeared from strip clubs today.

Touch, the only club that I remember being on Crescent was Cave du Sexe in a basement across the street from where Teazers was. It turned into a sushi joint and I think it is still a restaurant today. The only strip club I remember on Mountain was in the old 1234 club for a time but that was in the 90's and it didn't last long.

And yes, I remember the smokey original Wandas very fondly. Back then it was known as the sleaziest club downtown with girls who gave the hottest dances around. Now it's the only non-contact club left in town. How times have changed!

Techman

 

[Mike Mercury]

On Crescent there was a bar disco called the Sex Machine patterned after the bar in Stanley Kubrick`s A Clockwork Orange. The bar that had all the white naked women figures as props and tables. I never went it. I don`t remember tits on the outside though.



I remember a club somewhat uptown on the main perhaps. The girl took a shower in transparent shower booth. Was there one time.


Early 70`s L'Intendent on Sherbrooke east corner 16th Ave in Pointe au Trembles. We used to refer to the bouncer as Tarzan.
In those days there was a song where the female singer moaned "I can feel it". Very popular crowded place then. The oil and metal refineries were all in operation. Piles of money from all those well paying blue & white collar jobs in the east end then.