PORTLAND, Ore., — From www.kgw.com = There’s a new nightclub opening in Portland for people who like to swing. And it’s not the tree-tire variety, community park child’s activity or mid 1950s dance style.
Club Sesso opens Friday to Portland couples who like to have sex with other couples — or singles who enjoy having sex with other couples. And iconic porn film star Ron Jeremy has lent his name and prestige to downtown’s newest destination.
Club Sesso is located on SW 1st Avenue. Paul Smith, its owner, is relocating from Clackamas and expects a lot of business.
Portland just doesn’t have a respectable swinger’s club, yet, Smith said.
“Oregon and specifically Portland has a very strong presence in the alternative sex community,” he added.
Club Sesso will be upscale, private and members only.
Membership costs between $50 to $100 per year. Additionally, patrons must pay anywhere from $40 to $100 to get in the door on any given night.
The club will feature dancing, socializing and — yes — sex.
“If you’re asking me does sexual activity take place, absolutely,” Smith said. “It can take place, there are private rooms where people can go in and close the door and do whatever consenting adults want to do.”
Smith said everything that goes on in the club is completely legal.
“We have no fights, we have no drug issues, we run it like a business and because of that it’s very low key,” Smith said. “We have security. We have the neighborhood patrolled so vandalism goes down.”
But some people who work nearby aren’t thrilled about the club.
“It’s a terrible idea,” said Beth McKeever, a bartender at nearby Paddy’s Bar & Grill. “It’s probably going to bring in an unseemly kind of crowd to an area where we don’t need it.”
McKeever said she doesn’t think the club will last very long.
But McKeever’s boss, Josh Johnston, believes Club Sesso will bring business to the area, especially because there are several empty store fronts on the surrounding blocks.
“I’m hoping we’ll get a pre-funk crowd in here, all the people who are getting ready to go to the swingers club,” Johnston said. “They’ll maybe come in for a couple drinks to loosen up, to get their courage up before they go out and get crazy over there.”