Plato's Retreat is the swingers club in Manhattan first owned by Larry Levenson and then by Fred J. Lincoln; clubs serving heterosexual couples and bisexual women.
Video Plato's Retreat
History
The club was opened in 1977 by Larry Levinson, a high school friend of Al Goldstein, and popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was first located in a rather dingy Kenmore Hotel basement on East 23rd Street between Lexington and Third Avenues before moving into the basement of Ansonia Hotel, a beautiful 19th century building on the corner of Broadway and West 73rd Street in Upper West Side Manhattan. Prior to Plato's retreat, it housed a Continental Bathhouse, a gay bath where Bette Midler provided musical entertainment early in her career. Plato moved to 509 West 34th Street in 1980.
Plato's retreat is the only member formation that requires everyone to follow the club's many rules. Levinson was determined not to allow his evening friends to be infiltrated by homosexual men, and he insisted that only the righteous pair - and women, escorted or otherwise - were allowed into the venue. After a woman leaves the room after a sexual encounter, her male friend must accompany her. This rule is meant to ensure that women are almost always outnumbered men - Levinson is strictly forbidden sexual activity between men but welcomes lesbians. Drugs, including alcohol, are not allowed, although they are often used despite rules. The club features a disco dance floor, in-house DJ, a sauna room and a swimming pool with waterfall.
During its heyday, Plato Retreat is considered the most famous sex club in the world, popular among many celebrities, porn stars, and fine couples. The customer was described as "a variety of suburban curling types: dry cleaners and wives or fat men in toupees with their artificial boyfriends." Many men were present accompanied by a prostitute.
According to advertisements published on SCREW , June 18, 1979, the club offers, in addition to a heated swimming pool, steam sauna, rooms, whirlpool, disco dancing, free bar and buffet, "comfortable living rooms and areas relax "," various swing areas ", and backgammon spaces.
In 1985, New York Mayor Ed Koch backed the New York City Department of Health's decision to close the city's gay baths in response to fears over the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, in shutting down the gay baths while allowing heterosexual clubs - especially the Plato Retreat - to remain open, the city finds itself in a dilemma when it realizes it will be a violation of the newly adopted anti-discrimination law. The Ministry of Health, with Koch's consent, reacted by ordering heterosexual clubs, including the Plato Retreat, to close as well. The club's Manhattan location was closed on New Year's Eve 1985, as if for violating public health procedures.
The Plato Retreat was moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where it was reopened under the name Plato's Retreat 2. Located at 321 West Sunrise, the new location operates until 2006 as a heterosexual swing club on the premises, open Monday through Sunday from eight o'clock. until the last person left. Saturday night is only for couples. Plato Retreat in Fort Lauderdale is a BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) Club, and liquor is not sold there; However, it provides a free mixer, soft drinks, juice and ice.
In 2006, Plato's retreat was closed, and then reopened, maintaining the same location and BYOB Club format, but as a sex club for men only. The club is currently operating under the business name 321 Slammer.
The 2008 documentary American Swing tells the story of Plato's Retreat with records and interviews.
In July 2012, Jud Kirschner, former manager of Plato Retreat, opened Plato's Spa, a swingers club with full spa facilities, in New York City.
Maps Plato's Retreat
See also
- Ansonia Hotel
- Continental Bath
- Exhibitionism
- Swinging
- Swing club
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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