Hot Women and Pole-Dancing: Ingenuity in a Downturn

The Russian businessman I was having a drink with lived in London. "I prefer London to New York right now; in London not everyone talks about their depleted bank balance; in New York everyone does," he said. I agreed. But then a friend took me for a late dinner at a restaurant I'd never heard of, Charles in the West Village.

I expected the usual: a near empty restaurant and, given the hour - 10.30pm - to see most of the clientele leaving, not arriving. So I was shocked to see an unbelievably handsome guy in his twenties open the door. Behind him was a packed space fizzing with energy, sexuality and fun. This was the New York I used to know but which these days feels like a forgotten dream.

The room was bursting. There was not a seat left at the bar, though the waiter was quick to serve the drinks. Beautiful young women spilled out of revealing, barely-there tops while their dates consumed vodka like it was going out of fashion.

The secret to the place's success, I was told, was that the six young founders all had "day jobs" but at night put their energy into running the place like old fashioned maître d's. They took turns seating people, opening the door, making guests welcome. For eight months the place has been heaving - which means their ingenuity has paid off.

They're not the only ones. One former Morgan Stanley employee, having been laid off, is now reportedly making $160,000 as a pole dancer. Intriguingly, she says she finds her new working environment more comfortable than her old one (Morgan Stanley later said she'd only been a temp). Still, I must say I did stop and wonder for a second whether I should take pole-dancing lessons. I even have a French friend who could teach me.

Such stories of New York's inventiveness are inspiring. I'm reminded of a man I spoke to over the summer. He had been laid off from work and marched up and down Park Avenue wearing a billboard that advertised he was for hire. His tactics paid off and he is now employed.

So I say to my Russian friend: come back to New York! It isn't the one-dimensional place we thought. The Big Apple may be down - but it is most certainly not out.

This article was originally published by the London Evening Standard

Comments

[Rebecca Avalon]

I have absolutely seen an increase in newbies entering the club with absolutely NO idea how to close a sale or upsell VIP to a customer. It's not the new entertainers that are making six figures, it's the experienced entertainers with polished sales skills

[KMan1]

160K pole dancing? Yeah right!

[StripperMom]

Having worked as a New York City dancer back in the day and at a NYC financial institution, I must agree that I often pondered which working environment was more deadening to my soul.

[oldGunny]

"They took turns seating people, opening the door, making guests welcome."

Customer service makes a comback

[Beachrunner]

"Such stories of New York's inventiveness are inspiring." Yes, and the best part is, it's all cash and not being taxed!

[RobertHenryEller]

Let's see: While pole dancing should be physically exhausting over one shift, like many physically demanding jobs, it will keep you in shape up to a certain age (older than most pole dancers, I suspect).

So, suppose a very fit pole dancer can work 50 five-day weeks, or 250 days, per year. $160,000 divided by 250 days is $640 a day. A four hour shift would mean $160 per hour. That doesn't seem un-doable.

Without the "extras."

And think of the time and money one saves not having to go and work out at a gym.

[drymartini1]

Pole dancing..making 160K.

or is it pole dancing with "extras". maybe new york is different but you can get extras for as cheap as 500 in some good california clubs. so that chick is keeping real busy.