A new strip club is just hours away from opening in downtown Milwaukee.
Silk Exotic, located on Old World Third Street, is holding its grand opening celebration at 7 p.m. Thursday after years of court battles, and it's fitting the club is opening at seven, considering the club battled for seven years in order to get a downtown location before finally being approved by the Common Council last year.
There was plenty of controversy surrounding the common council's approval at the time of the decision, which ended in favor of Silk Exotic 10-5 after a heated debate.
Business owners, workers and residents were all concerned about a gentleman's club moving into the neighborhood.
At a committee meeting last April, representatives from the Shops of Grand Avenue said it would hurt their ability to lease commercial space.
"We're already known as one of the human trafficking capitals in the nation and I think that this can continue to open that door more widely," Walter Lanier told TODAY'S TMJ4 last year.
But not all were against the company moving in.
"If they pay their money they should be able to do what they want to do," Teauraun Aaron said last year.
This will be Silk's third area location. They also sport a club on the city's northwest side, and another in Madison.
