The city might have closed down the Penthouse Key Club for five big-friggin'-deal months, but, hey, lookie here: Says a press release sent out this a.m., the publicly traded (did I spell "publicly" right...yeah) Rick's Cabaret International, Inc. has signed a letter of intent to buy "an adult nightclub" in the metroplex. The Houston-based company isn't saying where yet -- being kept confidential, says the company, till April 30, when the transaction's set to close -- but they figure the new nudie bar will "add in excess of $4 million in annual revenue."
The release says it's paying $4.9 million for the club, so we assume it isn't, oh, the Busy Beaver or the Belly Button on Harry Hines. (Last summer, it paid $2.9 mil for Centerfolds Gentlemen's Club in San Antonio.) But this is our fave part of the release: "The company owns and operates or licenses adult nightclubs in New York City, New Orleans, Charlotte, Houston, Minneapolis and other cities under the names 'Rick's Cabaret,' 'XTC' and 'Club Onyx.' No sexual contact is permitted at any of these locations." Yeah, then what's the point? But, really, you gotta love a topless club that has Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Smells so...official. --Robert Wilonsky