Crockmeyer's / Coconuts Inc. / Swipe USA / The Clubhouse / Chastitys Gold Club / Savannahs Gentlemens Club / Club Crush, 3722 River Drive: 8 March 2012 13 comments
Well, this one is ripped from the headlines -- It seems that on the morning of Thursday 8 March 2012, somebody set fire to Club Crush (aka Crush Gentlemens Club) on River Drive just down from a defunct Cash / Title shop and the old A&P.
OK, I'm jumping the gun on the theory that it was arson, but given the recent history of the club (a woman was shot on 1 March and a tow truck driver was shot at on 7 March), I doubt that it just *happened to catch fire.
Actually I find the story of the woman being shot all the more remarkable in that it recapitulates the most famous incident to happen at this building. In both cases people inside the building were shot by bullets coming in from outside the club. Luckily, the woman is said to not be gravely injured -- in the first incident a man was killed. As I recall the story, the fatal incident happened while the building was occupied by Chastitys Gold Club. It seems that a man (a lawyer in fact!) was attempting to take liberties with a dancer that neither she nor club management would countenance, and the man was thrown out of the club, whereupon he went home, got a gun, came back and fired through the (closed) front door, killing a club employee.
I don't think that Chastitys ever really recovered from the bad publicity, and after limping on for a while, closed in 2009. The building shortly re-opened as another strip club, Savannahs Gentlemens Club (no apostrophies anywhere..) which didn't last too long and was replaced by Club Crush in late 2010 or 2011.
In fact, this building has always seemed to have sort of a revolving door problem. I was amused recently when both The State and The Free Times reported on Richland County mooting a change to zoning rules to close county stripclubs, and both papers seemed to believe that Chastitys was still open (unsurprisingly they noted they were unable to get a comment from the owners about the proposed regulations, given that the club was long gone..). Some other businesses I know of in this building were Coconuts Inc, The Club House and Crockmeyer's,which all sound like night clubs, and Swipe USA which doesn't. (In fact, I'm not sure what that sounds like..).
I'm not sure about Club Crush, but the building itself did not appear badly damaged, and based on history, I predict a club will be open there again soon, whatever the name.
UPDATE 13 December 2013: According to The State the building as been denied a permit to operate as a bar under new ownership, with, I think, the subtext being: this is for all time. To me this seems like visiting the sins of the past into the future..
UPDATE 19 January 2018 -- The place either is operating as or is about to open as Tryst:
13 Responses to 'Crockmeyer's / Coconuts Inc. / Swipe USA / The Clubhouse / Chastitys Gold Club / Savannahs Gentlemens Club / Club Crush, 3722 River Drive: 8 March 2012'
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tonkatoy
9 Mar 12 at 7:32 am
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Ironic they just changed the sign to Columbias hottest spot this week ( I drive by daily on commute) and it burns down.
Well all is not horrible, at least the stage got disinfected for free if they do reopen.
Peter
9 Mar 12 at 10:11 am
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Dude
Are you crazy?
Do not get out of the car at this location - EVER !Mike
11 Mar 12 at 3:19 pm
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I used to love this place back in the early 80's when it was Crockmeyer's. They used to have some of the best local bands of the era play in there. Live music, cheap beer, pool tables and video games. What else could you ask for? Plus, they were a private club, so you could go in and buy beer on Sundays (when the blue laws were in full force), even to go if you were friendly enough with the bartender (read tip into this). Went there once when it was one of the strip clubs. You could have counted the number of teeth the girls had on less that two hands.
Homer
12 Apr 12 at 1:23 am
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I think in the early 1980s this building was the Dry Gulch Saloon.
badger
12 Apr 12 at 8:13 am
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No, the Dry Gulch was down the street a bit, back toward Greystone. I only went there once and the only thing I remember was the bull ride. Of course, this was during the whole 'Urban Cowboy' era where people were trying to copy Mickey Gilley's honky tonks in any way possible. At one time I heard that they were known for their crabs, and not the kind you get in a restaurant, if you know what I mean. I think the place eventually burned down. Guess that's one way to get rid of the little beasties!!!!
Homer
9 Jul 12 at 2:46 am
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I knew Crockmeyer's from late 70's when it was a right decent place to hear great music; was not a strip club then. About a year before his Texas Flood album was released, late guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughn played there with Double Trouble. NO BS, I was there ... I recognized his greatness then but had no idea SRV'd become so widely known & respected. Left cola metro long ago ... had no idea of the strip clubs and shootings.
jax dunit
7 Aug 12 at 1:40 pm
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jax dunit, I have read your postings, and you need to write a book!! Great stories. I remember Crockmeyer's, but was far too young to go. It has been a strip hole as long as I can remember.
jonathan
7 Aug 12 at 3:23 pm
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This establishment is open.
Anya
14 Aug 12 at 4:14 am
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Already two shootings this year and now this!
http://www.wltx.com/news/article/216891/2/Club-Crush-Raided-Gambling-Machines-Pot-Seized
tonkatoy
17 Jan 13 at 2:45 pm
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Glad I found this thread; Columbia has always been one hard-partying town!
I remember the mighty Crockmeyer's Saloon and went there a few times in the very early 80's. It was one of those one of those cool places you went to after all the regular bars had closed. And because of their "private club' status they could open and serve on Sundays. I dont think I was ever an actual member but always got in anyway. Too bad i missed the Stevie Ray Vaughan show there, I bet that was sick. Unfortunately, by the time he was famous not long after, Crockmeyers had probably given way to some low- rent strip joint, which it has pretty much been since the late 80's, under varying hilarious names.
Now as for the Dry Gulch Saloon, it was nearby Crocks, but on a side street from River Drive, and about a short block or so north off of River Drive. The front face of the building (probably a converted old warehouse) faced downhill and west towards the river. I remember it being a very popular club in the summer of 1980 (I got in at 17!) and had the mechanical bull and the longneck Buds for $1. I went there maybe a couple of times. It was right when Urban Cowboy was screening and country music was surging. Although disco was thankfully on the way out by then there were still the Beethovens and Copper Door for that scene but for new clubs it was either new wave rock or country. Dry Gulch fit that bill on the country side but was only open for a few months or so...might have burned down - that building is long gone.
BTW while were on the subject fof old Coumbia bars does anyone remember Dundee's on Rosewood (I saw Steppenwolf and Marshall Tucker Band there) or Von Henmans or the Beat (the latter two were local alt rock new wave bars but a lot of fun and good music in early 80's)?
Grizz
13 Jul 13 at 1:47 am
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It looks like this location is reopening as Tryst.
Justin
24 Jan 18 at 7:26 am
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Seems like I remember this being named Plum Crazy at some point in the 80's
Darrell
7 Jun 18 at 9:58 pm
Sounds like they need thicker walls.