Detroit strip club forced to shut its doors for now

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Neighbors are thrilled that a local strip club has been forced to close its doors, at least for now.

The All Star Strip Club on 8 Mile will close its doors on July 12th and remain closed for a year. The Wayne County Prosecutors office got permission to shut down the building.

The club is under scrutiny because of allegations that one of its dancers was just 14 years old.

The club's manager, Andrew Hutson, is facing charges of child sexually abusive activity for hiring the young girl to work at the club.  Hutson told police the girl gave him what appeared to be valid identification showing she was 18 years old.

Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans is happy to see the doors closed, saying "That place has been public enemy number one for us for a long time in terms of the activities and the blatant disregard, in my opinion, for law enforcement."

Neighbors agree the club is trouble. Even as neighbors shared their experiences with Action News, bouncers from the club started yelling insults and tried to intimidate the homeowners. Many of those people have lived in the neighborhood just south of 8 Mile Road for decades.  After years of complaints to police and to city officials, they are glad to finally see the doors close.

Winifred Blackmon, president of the neighborhood association, says "... this fight has been underway for years.  And the homicides... in the last eleven years there have been six homicides.  Right at that bar."

Other neighbors talked about carjackings and cars getting keyed.

Chief Evans says the All Star club is not the only strip club causing problems for the city and its residents. He says other clubs are magnets for crime and the police are watching them too.