Barefax review

[hopeful 1357]

is Penelope from Playmate and Barbs now at Barefax ?

[harrisbar 0]

I am wondering Khole who used to work at Barb, Barefax, and Pigale has recently been working anywhere ? Thanks 

[M.O.F.W. 223]

I think you mean Khloe and she certainly isn't dancing anywhere, along with hundreds of others. The clubs will be the very last bars allowed to get back to normal.

[harrisbar 0]

Thanks M.O.F.W !

Yes, I meant Khole. She used to provide duo with another girl named Amber. I am not sure if Amber has been dancing till the clubs were closed.

 

[hopeful 1357]

harrisbar check your PM inbox .

I'm curious if anyone knows when Barefax and Pigale first opened as strip clubs (roughly what year), I know Playmate is about 50 y.o. but may have opened under a different name then ?

[slacker 1290]

21 hours ago, hopeful said:

harrisbar check your PM inbox .

I'm curious if anyone knows when Barefax and Pigale first opened as strip clubs (roughly what year), I know Playmate is about 50 y.o. but may have opened under a different name then ?

I don't know exactly when Barefax opened, but I can tell you it was well established when I was in high school back in 1987. I remember walking by with a buddy of mine in late December around 3:00 in the afternoon when a dozen drunk guys in Santa suits came pouring out and started yelling "Merry Christmas" at everyone nearby. Still one of the damn funniest things I've ever seen.

Pigale was in business at that point too, but under a different name which I can't remember at the moment.

[redback 535]

On 4/24/2020 at 3:38 PM, slacker said:

I don't know exactly when Barefax opened, but I can tell you it was well established when I was in high school back in 1987. I remember walking by with a buddy of mine in late December around 3:00 in the afternoon when a dozen drunk guys in Santa suits came pouring out and started yelling "Merry Christmas" at everyone nearby. Still one of the damn funniest things I've ever seen.

Pigale was in business at that point too, but under a different name which I can't remember at the moment.

Was it possible that Pigales was called "The Gap"?

I was known to frequent the Playmate almost 40 yrs ago, and it was indeed called "The Playmate" at that time.

[$magnum 493]

15 hours ago, redback said:

Was it possible that Pigales was called "The Gap"?

I was known to frequent the Playmate almost 40 yrs ago, and it was indeed called "The Playmate" at that time.

You are right pigale use de be la Gap but was not a stip club at the time

[canuckhooker 19203]

On 4/23/2020 at 5:51 PM, hopeful said:

harrisbar check your PM inbox .

I'm curious if anyone knows when Barefax and Pigale first opened as strip clubs (roughly what year), I know Playmate is about 50 y.o. but may have opened under a different name then ?

I moved to Ottawa in '83 and the Barefax was open then and had been for awhile. It was located where the Dominion Tavern is now. It moved upstairs in the late 80's I believe.  At that time in town there was BareFax, Playmate, Lido (on Portage strip), Gypsy Rose (aka Drummonds) Vendome/Valentino's, Silver Dollar, Habba Babbas (in Westboro), Pink Panther in Aylmer. Shortly there after there came Pigales, Fanny's (originally on Bank) The Den (across St Laurent and south of the NuDen) Barbarella's and one that lasted for a short while whose name I can't remember but it was located on Bank south of Landsdowne at the top of the hill there at Sunnyside. It was in the basement.

Rumour has it there once was a small one in Richmond, there was Jason's in Kanata, and Carlsbad Springs. Not sure of the dates on those.

 

[woot10 218]

I have only had experience in Ottawa since 1990, but the one on Bank near Sunnyside was called Cheeks. There was also Club 61 in Aylmer and the short-lived Palladium d'Or (above Taboo in Gatineau in the early 2000s, I think). Is there still one in Casselman? I haven't heard of that one in a while.

Also, Barbarella's used to be on Bank near Fanny's and Diamond's was on Queen (or was it the other way around?), then they merged to be Diamonds/Barbarella's on Queen.

[CalvinTessier 0]

No way this thread is still going!?! Im coming back to Ottawa tonight for the first time in almost a couple of years and I plan on being at the Fax every day like I would a couple years ago until I head back! Anyone online tonight?

[1963Kennedy 10698]

All clubs, Ontario & Quebec are still closed.

[hopeful 1357]

Barefax may not reopen, the building is for sale

[jg24 3708]

5 hours ago, hopeful said:

Barefax may not reopen, the building is for sale

It has been for sale for over a year it is reopening but I dont ask me how i know because its confidential 

[harris_rajah 0]

Hi All,

I hope you are all safe and sound.

Is barefax operational ?

Thanks !

[jg24 3708]

Fax is closed permanently 

[tim1 286]

I think they said in the paper that the owner is selling the building and the business for $6 million dollars. 

Kind of steep price for the building and the business at the absolute worse time to sell a commercial building.  

[goose2ca 458]

A commercial building usually sells for about 10 times the annual rent it could bring in.  So this would suggest this building could bring in $600,000 per year or $50,000 per month.  This is not unrealistic for prime space in the market area.

 

[tim1 286]

On 9/22/2020 at 7:46 AM, goose2ca said:

A commercial building usually sells for about 10 times the annual rent it could bring in.  So this would suggest this building could bring in $600,000 per year or $50,000 per month.  This is not unrealistic for prime space in the market area.

 

Maybe during regular times but these are anything but regular times. A person would have to be nuts to open a restaurant, bar, hotel, retail business during the covid-19 pandemic. I think times are changing too for retail stores and restaurants. If you have gone to any malls recently there are retail bankrupcies all over the place. I think those valuations are a bit steep because there seems to be a shift to buying things online. Companies like Amazon are kicking ass and causing all of these bankruptcies.

[Philmore 149]

And the building right next door is for sale for 3 million It is a smaller building but it is certainly not half.

[waterat 20911]

The 'covid situation' doesn't matter to those who can afford commercial space in the market (unlike the regular person they're likely benefiting from these challenging times). I think it was Mark Twain who quipped "Buy land, son, they're not making any more of it"

Apologies to Iceland et al.

[tim1 286]

On 9/27/2020 at 3:53 PM, waterat said:

The 'covid situation' doesn't matter to those who can afford commercial space in the market (unlike the regular person they're likely benefiting from these challenging times). I think it was Mark Twain who quipped "Buy land, son, they're not making any more of it"

Apologies to Iceland et al.

I don't know about that. I suppose if the price dropped alot but if it is the same price as before the crisis, i would wait. Buying distressed assets at bargain prices are another story.

[woot10 218]

A glimmer of hope? Article in the Citizen has the owner talking about trying to get insurance coverage for the Fax and Club 27. Maybe if rates drop and things open up, it could reopen?
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa-bars-already-devastated-by-pandemic-hit-with-skyrocketing-insurance-costs

 

[canuckhooker 19203]

1 hour ago, woot10 said:

A glimmer of hope? Article in the Citizen has the owner talking about trying to get insurance coverage for the Fax and Club 27. Maybe if rates drop and things open up, it could reopen?
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa-bars-already-devastated-by-pandemic-hit-with-skyrocketing-insurance-costs

 

The article also gives the impression, unlike other posts on this board, that he is not intending to sell, and that the closing was solely due to the insurance issue. I am not sure how that will effect other bars in town. It will be interesting, but I can see the government stepping in if no bars (strip clubs or otherwise) can get affordable insurance.

 

[1963Kennedy 10698]

If insurance coverage is the issue, then what will happen to Playmate and NuDen?

Everybody needs insurance so Phil will have to sell quickly [in Spring or summer] or either he or new owner will have to turn the building into something "insurable".

Frank sold Pigales few years ago [very good timing] but retains ownership of the building. 

I bet BF could be renovated into a very nice massage parlor. That industry seems stable.