Strippers Stir Passions In Tukwila -- Planning Officials Say Dandy's Too Close To Neighborhood Play Area

CUTLINE: TERI HARRIS / SEATTLE TIMES: DANDY'S REGULARS ALANA SOBOTTA, 22, LEFT, AND MARLO STORELEE, 21, BOTH OF AUBURN, SCREAM DURING A RECENT PERFORMANCE BY ``DANTE.'' THE WOMEN SAY THEY VISIT THE CLUB ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK,

TUKWILA

Moments after hearing the first staccato notes of Soft Cell's ``Tainted Love,'' Alana Sobotta riveted her eyes on a male stripper strutting around the hardwood stage.

Her hips bouncing, fingers tapping on a rope that separated her from the platform inside Dandy's, the only male burlesque club in the state, Sobotta cheered as dancer J.P. Lawless wiggled and threw a fringed jean jacket aside.

With swirls of light coloring the candlelit room, Sobotta lined up for a turn at ``Dandy's basketball,'' tossing brown plastic chips called Dandy dollars into the pouch of the dancer's underwear.

``This is fun and it's one of the most clean-cut places you can go,'' Sobotta said later, grinning. ``There's not anything to offend. They wear basically the same things guys wear on the beach.''

For a $5 cover charge, the 22-year-old Auburn resident comes by Dandy's once or twice each week. But, if the city of Tukwila has its way, Dandy's will have to close its doors.

When Tukwila annexed the Riverton, Foster and Thorndyke neighborhoods last April, it also got the club at the corner of South 144th Street on the east side of Pacific Highway South.

But Tukwila's Planning Department has moved to deny Dandy's a city business license, saying the establishment violates the city's 23-year-old ordinance that prohibits a cabaret-licensed business from operating within 500 feet of a playground. The club lies 288 feet from the Riverton Terrace apartments' play area, which includes a swing set.

Dandy's owners Walt and Teresa Szafryk have appealed the decision to the Tukwila City Council. A final hearing is expected to be scheduled for the end of April or early May.

``The law is archaic and serves no governmental purpose,'' said Jack Burns, the attorney representing the Szafryks.

Countered Tukwila council President Joan Hernandez: ``We are determined to uphold the ordinance. I don't believe Dandy's has been a nuisance so far, but that's not the issue. We're talking about the ordinance and that issue's pretty cut and dry.''

The ordinance defines a cabaret as any place that serves food or refreshments and provides entertainment.

That means even Walt Disney wouldn't be able to operate a theater within 500 feet of that playground, Burns said.

Even if Dandy's obtains a license, the council can examine whether the club violates the city's adult entertainment ordinance, Hernandez said. Dandy's operates in an area zoned regional retail, while the two-year-old law restricts adult entertainment centers to heavy industrial zones.

Tukwila's troubles with Dandy's is the latest of several incidents that have pushed the close-knit community uncomfortably into the limelight.

Earlier this year Councilman Steve Lawrence, while on a walk, stumbled upon a set of bones belonging to a victim of the Green River killer. In February, Seattle Times columnist Erik Lacitis etched Tukwila's name into the public's mind when he wrote about ``visiting Tukwila'' as the euphemism for making love.

``When the public reads about Tukwila, they don't realize that there are many positive elements in the city,'' City Administrator John McFarland said. ``People need a balanced perspective about what's going on.''

Now comes the Dandy's controversy.

The strip club initially opened in 1982 under county regulations. Teresa Szafryk bought the club four years later for $60,000. Last year Dandy's, which employs 15 male dancers who work strictly for tips, a disc jockey and four part-time waiters, had an annual gross income of $160,000. The club is open Wednesday through Saturday and can accommodate 150 patrons at any one time.

Dandy's run-in with the council hasn't affected its business, Teresa Szafryk said. It averages 100 customers per night on weekends, a majority of them being for pre-wedding or bachelorette parties.

Recently, a grandmother celebrated her 89th birthday at Dandy's. And on another night, a group of eight women met to celebrate a friend's new job. Sipping drinks and munching popcorn, they yelled at the sight of 27-year-old Dennis, one of the club's most popular strippers, at the start of an act inspired by the box-office smash ``Top Gun.''

The twinkling lights dimmed as Dennis, known as the White Knight, appeared in a naval uniform. He escorted a woman from the audience on stage and serenaded her, lip-synching to the mellow tones of the Righteous Brothers' ``You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling.''

When Dennis ducked behind a screen after the song, the audience screamed, ``Take it all off!'' Mists of steam rose from the stage as he reappeared. The shrieks grew louder, drowning out Kenny Loggins' ``Highway to the Danger Zone'' as Dennis danced in a flying suit, twirling a pair of orange neon guiding wands between his legs before stripping down to camouflage skivvies.

``It's all about fun,'' said Marlo Storelee, a Dandy's regular from Auburn who usually drops by once a week. ``People have a preconceived notion that this is some sleazy joint. But it's nice, clean, with good service. I've heard a few people say, `I didn't imagine it would be like this.' ''

Dandy's is mostly patronized by women, who must be at least 21. State liquor laws prevent customers from touching the strippers, who must be at least six inches away from the audience while performing on stage.

The Szafryks say Dandy's is their only source of income. If they lose the appeal, the couple may consider turning the club into a tavern.

``The mood here is upbeat,'' Teresa Szafryk said. ``People hear about us and they come here to relax and have a little fun. It's more carefree than some of those other places.''

Dennis, the dancer from Des Moines, agreed.

``People need to realize this isn't a bad thing. It's where women can go without being intimidated by men,'' he said. ``Women can have fun among themselves and they don't have to worry about men picking up on them. It's a shame there aren't more places like this.''