New downtown gentleman's club holds soft opening

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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- It's taken over ten years, and the City of Milwaukee paid out over $1 Million in fines when they first turned down Silk Exotic, but the gentleman's club is set to open in downtown Milwaukee this week.

The new club on Old World 3rd St. opened it's doors Tuesday to let people have a no-pressure look inside.

Neighbors from a nearby apartment we spoke to aren't happy with the club, but Silk says they are determined to win their neighbors over.

"We want it subtle, we want it conservative. You wouldn't even know it's a gentleman's club. Walking by, you wouldn't," said Craig Ploetz, Owner & Chief Operations Executive of Silk's Downtown location.

There were no dancers inside during the soft opening, but Silk says this night was open to neighbors and even people that opposed the club - to feel comfortable taking a look inside.

But neighbor Keith Kennedy still doesn't feel okay with the club right next door. He didn't go to the soft opening.

"Downtown is a beautiful place, but I don't see this as a positive addition," said Kennedy. "There's other beautiful cities and streets. It's kind of unfortunate Old World 3rd now has this connotation."

He's not the only neighbors CBS 58 spoke with that said they may move.

Tim Felski knows the owners and believes people opposed to this type of entertainment will be won over.

"I think there's apprehension because of the type of business they are, being a gentleman's club, but once they're open a few weeks, I think those fears will be allayed and people will be happy and the neighbors will be thrilled to have them," said Felski.

Silk says they want people to know they've delivered their promise to build a beautiful club. Ploetz says they've thought about their neighbors, did extensive soundproofing, and that security will keep any crime out of the area.

"All I can say to the naysayers saying there might be crime, some type of violent-- some type of nefarious activities, we have a history, we've been in the business 15 years... judge us on our history," said Ploetz.

The club will officially open at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

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