Two miles from my house, on one of the major roads, is a Go-Go joint. It has been there for many, many years. It used to sit by itself without too much around it; just a few mom and pop local businesses were its neighbors. About 10 or so years ago a huge track of land was sold and was developed to include a Lowes, a Target, a T.G.I. Fridays and the likes.
At that time, the township, with all the new tenants, decided that the Go-Go joint’s neon sign of a silhouette of a woman was too offensive. The township council demanded that the owner remove the sign. The owner argued that the sign was there for years and questioned why, now, did they find the sign offensive. He also argued that sign was what drew attention to his business. They claimed the sign was an eye sore. The township, I am sure, were trying to impress the corporations of Target and others in having the sign removed. Or more likely some corporate big wig complained to the township.
The township council passed an ordinance that would make the sign illegal without any type of “grandfather” clause. The Go-Go owner argued that the sign was art (a stretch) and it was also freedom of speech. The township made him remove the sign with the threat of revoking his business license. The Go-Go owner, feeling like he was the little guy, the underdog, being squeezed out by the big corporate lawyers, decided not to take the township to court. He did not have the money for a long drawn out court case. But he did have the money for this, which is totally legal.
Do you think the township considers this an eye sore? Every time I drive by I have to laugh. The Go-Go owner has some guts to be able to stick it to "the Man" like this and I appreciate it.But what makes me chuckle like a 13 year old, every time I drive by is the name of the cross road where the go-go joint is located.
I find it appropriate.
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28 comments:
You know, I always see that place & wonder what provoked the owner to make it look SSSSOOOOOOO hideous! Thanks for the insight. Now I don't have to think that the owner is a total moron every time I see it; he's actually become a hero in my eyes!
YAY for the underdog, no matter what the business!
Great, I bet the kiddos must think it's some kind of game place or theme restaurant with Mermaids and the like.
But that's damn hilarious. Serves them right!
Geez. Bring back the sign.
(This belongs in the scrapbook with the PDBSH; I gotta go get Bucky.)
Revenge is a dish best served garish and tacky! :p
There's a house around here like that -- it's at the entrance to a subdivision. The yard was pretty messy and the house could have used a coat of paint. The neighbours in the subdivision tried everything to get the owners to clean it up,"you're not making a very good impression on the people entering our neighbourhood, blah blah blah"
The owners finally agreed to do something about it -- they painted it a hideous bright purple with bright yellow trim around the windows and doors and put out a bunch of tacky ceramic lawn things. Take that, neighbourhood!
That's hilarious! Of course, if my girls saw that, it would become the mission of their life to go eat at the rainbow and princess restaurant :X LOL!!!!!!!!!
Stickin to the man! I love it!
In fact, it might be enough to make me go go there. Knee hi boots, pasties and all.
We have a treasure like that here...called the Candy Store. As you can imagine, more than once my precious peeps have asked mommy to take them there.
Sorry, kiddos, not enough hand sanitizer in the world.
SWEET! This guy is my hero!!
Too funny!
Fantastic...
Oh, and thanks for making me laugh with your comment this morning...
i really enjoy the street sign name
Hi, I've been lurking. These places usually make me puke, but this is Just. Too. Funny. Folks outback in the hoity new codger village complained about the teeny camper we are restoring, so we hung big christmas lights on it with green duct tape. Then they called zoning guy who said it was legal. We eventually painted it pink.
The remember ma song is come dancing, she would be 89 today. Pop's is Those were the days.
BTW, great blog.
That is really funny. I bet the township wishes they would have let him keep his sign.
*smirk*
I kept thinking, Titus?? (esp. Titus 2:3-5, from the Bible...which *is* a funny reference here) but I FINALLY split the word into 2 words...yeah, I'm slow today.
Someone from church was giving directions the other day: "Straight up the highway, cross the state line, first street after the topless bar"...HUH??? Turns out everyone uses it as a landmark. It took me quite a while before I believed THAT!
The mermaid has nice titus's
Dang it, anonymous stole my comment! But am I the only person who finds it odd that it is topless go go and hotel? Hmmmm....
The antenna on the roof and the window unit air conditioner just scream out "this is a classy joint."
William,
Please... The obvious question for you is what color is the paint on the inside of the building.
So, you got close enough for a picture of the outside. next blog must be to show us the inside! C'mon, William, you were in the driveway! did the boys think it was an ice cream shop?
momo9
Hee hee! That rocks!
Well that is funny. Who needs a neon sign when you can paint like that?
Very funny.
hysterical!
Good for him! I'm quite likely the last person in the world who could be characterized as a friend of these places. But I'm even less fond of strong-arm tactics by government to force business owners' tails between their legs.
I love the cheekily creative solution to a pretty nasty campaign by The Man. Nicely done.
Frankly, I think Target's arrival on the scene is infinitely more obscene than any old neon sign.
I remember driving by there many times (lived in D'town, worked in Willow Grove) and seeing the political signs. Some of them bordered on tinfoil-hat tirades.
Makes me homesick.
fabulous! i love it!
OK, that's too funny. But I have to wonder about the hotel part... Do they rent by the hour? eek...
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