A new pickle parlor in Portland

[+ leo2510]

The two long-term stalwarts of the Portland gay strip club scene, old-timer Silverado and upstart Stag, now have another competitor. The new strip club, "Fuzzy Navels", has opened, in the Parkrose district, in outer Northeast Portland, overlooking the airport and near the Interstate 205 bridge to Vancouver, WA. For the time being, the club is open Friday and Saturday, 6PM to midnight. As the remodeling and staffing advances, owner Justin is looking forward to expanding the club's hours and days of operation.

Location- the club is in a pre-war commercial strip in Parkrose, at 10518 NE Sandy Blvd. Parkrose is an older suburb in northeast Portland, overlooking the Columbia River. The airport is a mile north, along the river. The commercial district is at the Killingsworth/Sandy Blvd exit 23B off I-205. It's about a 15-milnue drive east of downtown, and near the I-205 bridge to Washington. The building has no parking lot, but there is plentiful free on-street parking in this neighborhood- my visit at 8 pm on Friday, I was able to park directly outside the front door.

Particulars- You enter the club through a vestibule entry, sign a waiver concerning entry into an adult establishment, and staff will bring you into the club itself. The stage room is in the front, with other rooms under remodel, due to the building's former use as a lingerie parlor ( exercise stage, photo booth, VIP area ). The bar area features a beer-wine-cider license ( no hard liquor as of yet ) and will have a limited food service soon. There is an ATM on-premise. 

The advertised feature at Fuzzy Navels is "touching encouraged!' The performers are nude once the minimum tip levels are achieved and you are expected to "direct" the guys as you wish. The restriction on touch are that the dancers genitalia, sphincter and perineum are off-limits, but anywhere else in subject to your and your dancers agreement. My personal experiences with both dancers is that, with proper tipping and respect for the club's limits, makes for a lively and entertaining lap dance. 

I'm looking forward to see if more dancers and more hours of operation, along with completed renovations, bring about the type of business that Justin, the owner, is shooting for- a no-nonsense gay strip joint, not a party club for bachelorette hen parties, not a dance hall, just a gay strip club. Along with other gay-directed businesses moving to the east suburbs, to enjoy lower rents and escape the perception of high crime in the downtown area, it's an interesting time to be in the skin game in Portland.

 

[nate_sf]

Thanks for the report @leo2510. Sounds promising!

I checked out their website at https://www.fuzzynavels.com. I love their tipping policy… if the guy gets the agreed tips, he strips! 

[+ azdr0710]

@leo2510

is there full nudity in the main "stage room" at regular times?....if so, does it qualify for inclusion in this forum's "master list" thread of US full nudity clubs?....thanks for the great report 

Edited September 11, 2022 by azdr0710

[+ leo2510]

Currently two nights a week, and definitely full nude once the tip levels are reached, so...... 

[+ poolboy48220]

from their website, this is interesting.  I wonder how well this will go down?
"no cell phones are allowed anywhere inside the bar. You can keep it in your pocket out of sight, but if we see a cell phone, you'll be asked to leave. We're serious. There's also no gum, purses, bags, backpacks, luggage, or cologne allowed."

[EZEtoGRU]

7 minutes ago, poolboy48220 said:

from their website, this is interesting.  I wonder how well this will go down?
"no cell phones are allowed anywhere inside the bar. You can keep it in your pocket out of sight, but if we see a cell phone, you'll be asked to leave. We're serious. There's also no gum, purses, bags, backpacks, luggage, or cologne allowed."

Interesting.  Purses not being allowed discourages women from attending.  I assume that's the idea.  No gum or cologne?  That's kind of odd although it wouldn't put me off from going as long as the dancer talent is good.

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

1 hour ago, poolboy48220 said:

from their website, this is interesting.  I wonder how well this will go down?
"no cell phones are allowed anywhere inside the bar. You can keep it in your pocket out of sight, but if we see a cell phone, you'll be asked to leave. We're serious. There's also no gum, purses, bags, backpacks, luggage, or cologne allowed."

I love it!  Wish more businesses enforced rules like this!  I may actually go visit Portland again, just to visit this place.  I used to visit Portland annually to check out Silverado, but I haven't been since 2019.

Edited September 12, 2022 by Vegas_nw1982

[lerbut23]

No cologne?   That’s a new one.  What is the logic there?

[+ azdr0710]

33 minutes ago, lerbut23 said:

No cologne?   That’s a new one.  What is the logic there?

I've known a very few people in my life who were allergic to heavy fragrances. 

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

3 hours ago, lerbut23 said:

No cologne?   That’s a new one.  What is the logic there?

The dancers don't want to be smelling strong cologne on dozens of customers while in tight quarters of a lap dance.  As a customer, I also don't want my lap dances to smell of the strong cologne of previous customers all over my dancer.

For similar reasons, most massuers or escorts will request their clients where no cologne.  It's very close contact, and cologne is overpowering.

[+ sniper]

I used to only go to strip clubs right at the opening time because I didn't want to smell other guys' sweat on the dancers.

[lionbrown]

I wish I knew what the dancers looked like ahead of time.

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

On 9/21/2022 at 2:06 PM, lionbrown said:

I wish I knew what the dancers looked like ahead of time.

 If you go and no one you fancy is working that night, then what have you lost? $5 cover charge?  Enjoy some drinks and a chat with the bartender or patrons.  Besides, the more you drink, the better they'll look!

At least you have the option of nude male dancers in a bar.  Most cities don't offer such opportunities.  Appreciate it while you have it.

Edited September 22, 2022 by Vegas_nw1982

[wallnut]

Any more recent experiences with this place? Also, how do people feel it compares to Stag and Silverado?

[+ leo2510]

An update on the goings on here in the Northwest:

The new kid on the block, Fuzzy Navels, is going to be shut over the summer. The operator has busy plans for his website for the next few months, and is unable to make enough space in his schedule to operate the club, along with the website ops, on-location film shoots, and a personal life in the meantime. Let's hope that they can reopen in the fall - the business model may not be the most lucrative, but it was cool to have some new choices.

Stag has new management. The old manager, Ali, has had a little bit of legal trouble and has stepped away, so the overseas owner has got some younger fresh blood in to keeps things going. The new regime seems to be in a feeling-out period, making slow changes designed to bring in more customers and talent. We've seen some out-of-town performers making "guest appearances" from Seattle and California. I hope they have a productive and profitable Pride season - Portland is moving its Pride weekend to mid-July (too many other celebrations in June this year, the calendar is too full.)

Silverado is still going strong, seems to be as popular as ever- I'll be stopping in soon, and will let you all know if there are any noteworthy changes. The building that is supposed to house the new Badlands club is still a construction site, at minimum several months away from operation. All in all, the drama continues, just as one would expect in this business- it's all you would expect!

[+ azdr0710]

thanks for the update @leo2510.....

master lists updated!......