Swinging Richards Closed (as of January 15, 2022) Iconic all-male, all-nude venue. No longer operating.
Bliss Closed (2014) Also used to be an all?male nude club off Cheshire Bridge, but is no more.
So: if you were hoping to go to a club like Swinging Richards, sorry — that one’s gone.
Alternative / Similar Options (not exactly the same, but close)
Because the fully nude gay-male club infrastructure is thin now, here are what’s alive and kind of in the same orbit — male revues, private/agency shows, etc.
BJ’s next to Heretic is a gogo dancer bar in Atlanta. You can get a private dance but they are not nude like they were at the one popular Swingin’ Richards!
Hunk-O-Mania (Atlanta) Male revue show at a venue (Penthouse: 2847 Buford Hwy NE) with performances, dancing. Probably partial or near nude, but not strictly fully nude strip clubs. It’s more of a male performance show. Doesn’t seem to advertise “all nude everywhere.” When you want a show, weekend nights, good energy, audience participation etc. Great for girls’ nights out or mixed crowds.
Music City Male Revue (Atlanta) Another male revue show, ticketed performance. Again, not clearly “fully nude gay club,” but choreographed male strip show. Likely more “revue” style, costumes, etc. If you’re cool with less explicit but still sexy, performance-based entertainment.
Atlanta Male Strippers / Agencies Private events, outcall strip shows, etc. They do sometimes offer fully nude (“Full Monty”) depending on booking/setting. Agencies are more flexible. If you want a more private experience, house party, VIP vibes, or customizing how overt you want things.
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What to watch out for / questions to ask
Since the “fully nude gay strip club” status is rare now, if you find a place you suspect might be one, here are good clarifications to get in:
• Is full nudity allowed (on stage / back rooms / private dances)?
• What nights or special events might offer “more exposure” or explicit shows?
• Entry fees, drink minimums, cover charges, VIP room costs.
• Legal/licensing issues (some places had lawsuits or permit issues) — check recent reviews or forums.
• Location & safety (parking, area etc) especially late night.
Swinging Richards in Atlanta has filed for bankruptcy protection. The popular gay strip club also allegedly owes wages to workers and a Go Fund Me account has been created to raise $1 million to cover the gay strip club’s legal fees.
The parent company of the club, 1400 Northside Drive Inc., filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia on May 2. The bankruptcy filing allows the business to remain open while it reorganizes its finances.
Swinging Richards owes more than $1.65 million to its creditors, according to the bankruptcy filing first reported by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Most of the creditors are former dancers who sued the club over unpaid wages and their attorneys. The club also owes unknown amounts to state and federal tax agencies, according to the filing.
The debt includes six claims totaling $875,000 owed to five former dancers, according to the bankruptcy filing. That judgment came after Swinging Richards lost a jury trial in May 2018.
The largest unsecured claim the company owes is $667,000 to former dancers under a Fair Labor Standards Act settlement, according to the bankruptcy filing. More than two-dozen dancers sued Swinging Richards in 2014, arguing that the club violated federal law by not paying them minimum wage and charging them various fees to perform. They settled the case in March 2017.
Swinging Richards has $50,000 to $100,000 in estimated assets, and its liabilities are between $1 million and $10 million, according to the bankruptcy filing.
“Help us keep Swinging Richards swinging proudly,” the campaign said. “A recent court decision and overly aggressive lawyers looking for profit, have caused us to reach out to the community for help. Don’t let them shut us down!”
No donations have been made as of the writing of this post, with a goal of $1 million.
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