Posted on 12/14/2010 2:11:01 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
In tough economic times, countless businesses have shut down across the US. But, some entrepreneurs are trying to think outside the box to stay afloat.
Jill Anne, a store owner in New York City pole dances in her store and claims business is better than ever.
In a small room in lower Manhattan, the boots come off, the pole is prepared, the music comes on, and the show begins.
The place is far from a strip club or porn shop. Anne is a greeting card store owner.
While countless businesses in the US have been dying off and shutting down in a dire economy, some places prove that it could take something a little bit more eye-catching to stay afloat.
“Some people would call it gorilla marketing. You do what it takes, and if it works – it works. Great. More power to you,” she said.
For the store owner, what had initially started as a more original way to take breaks than coffee, has recently turned into something she never expected.
“This is a great advertising thing. That certainly wasn’t in my business plan, but I am embracing it now” Anne said.
One of the exclusive offers in the store is a private pole dance – when a customer purchases merchandise worth $50 dollars or more.
As hard as it may seem to lure men into buying greeting cards, the strategy has proven genius.
“They end up buying my greeting cards, my calendars, sometimes they buy some of the pole attire that I have for their girlfriends,” she commented.
Some New Yorkers have been appalled by the use of sexuality to boost sales.
“It’s just a self-respect thing,” said a woman.
“I have owned a store and I wouldn’t attract customers that way,” echoed another.
But in times of an unpredictable economy, just how far will business owners be willing to go to stay in the game?
WIFE: Honey, why are you buying greeting cards? Every day you come home with more and more greeting cards?
HUSBAND: Well, uhhh... You never know know when we’ll need some. Yeah.
The bottom line is that there is nothing wrong with women displaying themselves for men.
Ever notice that in nature, one gender or the other of a species *frequently* is more “colorful”, or engages in behavior to attract a mate?
Humans do this, too. Girls at a young age are compelled by their biology, not just their culture, to change their appearance to become attractive to males. And boys are just as compelled to stare at girls who are displaying themselves.
And, I might add, human biology is not limited to just this. We do all sorts of gender specific behavior for the purpose of attracting a mate.
An irony of people is that it isn’t just men watching women’s display, but other women do so as well, to see what is working. Women are always on the lookout for something new and novel that will increase the amount of attention they get. And some women become positively addicted to attention.
She is good looking, but damn if that gorilla posted by KeyLargo in #19 ain’t a better dancer.
Dems poll dance...
this is pole dancing.
What a Rack.....................................
The men could sense that something was amiss but they knew that the card they brought would bring a smile to their spouse's face as it had done on countless nights in the past few weeks. Little did they know ...
Ha! Brilliant!
Hmm. And some other people--not idiots--might call it guerrilla marketing.
Maybe she could take a survey with some poll dancing and see which one people prefer.
Gonna need a bigger pole! Maybe a Greek column.
Pole dancing should be an Olympic sport. I mean, why not? It is not all that different from parallel bars. The outfits they wear in the Olympics reveal as much. It may even get me to watch the Olympics.
Where do I write to lobby for Olympic poll dancing. Imagine a stipper being able to brag she has an Olympic gold metal. Imagine the endorsement possibilities.
I think my idea has legs.
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