Miami Beach

Miami Beach’s lone strip club says bring in the booze

 

The owner of Miami Beach’s lone strip club says customers can bring in their own booze. Miami Beach says no way.

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dsmiley@MiamiHerald.com

The owner of Miami Beach’s lone strip club says he has beaten the city’s booze and bare-all ban by doing the unthinkable on South Beach — allowing customers to bring in their own bottles.

“Why pay $500 other places?” said Leroy Griffith, who has tried unsuccessfully for years to obtain a liquor license for his Club Madonna on Washington Avenue.

Now, Madonna patrons can bring beers, bubbly, wine, liquor and any other alcoholic beverage they desire, as long as they don’t mind paying for mixers, cups and ice. Customers can also get a hand stamp and buy alcohol at nearby bars, as they have been doing for years.

Griffith says his attorneys tell him the new Madonna policy is legal, as does the Division of Alcoholic beverages and tobacco. He even has a sign informing passerby of the change on a scroll that reads “Adults Have Rights!” wedged between the buttocks of a busty blonde.

Miami Beach City Attorney Jose Smith, however, says Griffith is getting bad legal advice.

“Clearly, what he is doing is illegal,” Smith said.

Griffith has been a thorn in the side of Miami Beach for years. A year ago, he blew up a picture of Mayor Matti Herrera Bower stuffing bills down the briefs of a Club Twist dancer and placed it outside his business as a means of protest.

The club owner has filed federal lawsuits, bar complaints, ethics complaints, elections complaints and other allegations alleging extortion and forms of unfair treatment. Some allegations have stuck, while others have been tossed out.

Smith said any city code enforcement officer that sees customers entering Club Madonna with alcohol will fine Griffith for breaking city code.

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