February 26, 2008
After seeing the Velvet strip club owner’s mugshot in the newspaper today, Richmonders are having themselves a chuckle over the irony that Sam Moore has a tattoo that stretches from his n
eck to chest and may very well cover or come close to his nipples – just like the coverings his strippers are required by law to wear.
“What a coincidence,” said a grinning David Wells as he perused the Metro section of the Richmond Times-Dispatch at his breakfast table in Church Hill. “Or is that an ‘irony’? I get those two words mixed up all the time.”
Moore was arrested yesterday on two charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor after his South 15th Street club was raided early Saturday morning by state and federal authorities.
Velvet has been the focus of a year-long investigation into prostitution, possible drug distribution and other illegal acts - charges that were all paradoxically accepted for years by local residents as probably taking place inside the Shockoe Bottom seminude club, if in fact “paradoxically” is the right word for it.
“Whatever the term is for ‘we figured all this was happening and that this day would come,’” Gabe Hamm said. The 38-year-old systems analyst noted that it was also “wonderfully ironic, or perhaps ‘coincidental’ is the word I’m searching for,” about how Moore’s body was wrapped in graphics just like Velvet’s two raised Hummers.
Hamm added that he “would not be surprised” if underneath Moore’s shirt was revealed to be a torso-sized tattoo of Princess Diana’s head with an over-sized nose. “Now that would be even more ironicer,” Hamm said, stating that he knows “ironicer” isn’t a real word.
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“Moore… lives on the second floor of the Club Velvet complex” and “A club employee said yesterday that she did not know … where he lives”. Kind-of odd too, don’t you think?
Funny comments on the RTD article… especially the ‘live and let live’ stuff. I recall when going out to lunch down near there, that those guys aren’t exactly quiet and ‘live and let live’ when people walk by with the cut-out stripper and dressed-up gorilla, now are they? They’ve also had someone out trying to pass out cards or something advertising over lunch time when we’ve walked by… even trying to give them to the female co-workers when we were going to a restaurant past it.
Two places I’ve lived, there seems to *always* be a strip club that (big-surprise) happened to deal in prostitution and drugs and got closed down… no big surprise in my mind, but like some of the commenters, hope that this isn’t some politicking but actually backed up with some real reasons and evidence…
The same photo of Sam Moore is slightly out of registration in my copy of the RT-D. So, I though the tattoo was an ascot.
What do you mean, “ironicer” is not a word?
It’s a strip club people. What are you expecting. It’s a place full of lust and other sins.There is no doubt in my mind that most if not all clubs of this nature have illecit activities occurring on a normal basis. After reading the paper today and learning that it was 2 sisters, one 18 and one 17, alledgely having sex with Sam Moore, I feel the law may not be targeting the right person. The 18 year old sister should get contributing to the delinquency of a minor also. I got int a fight when I was 18 and I had a 17 year old with me and I received a contributing charge because of their presence. Apparently their family has some inner issues that need to be worked out. Locking up Sam is not going to help these girls. They concented so they got what they wanted. As for the other charges that may come to surface, thats another problem. Apparently Sam’s lawyer knows what he is doing from past alledged charges. The point I’m trying to make is. You inter a place of sin your life is then filled with more sin and it’s a cycle unless you stop it on your own. Pointing the finger at someone that helped you commit the sin will not stop the cycle.
Anybody for a rousing chorus of “Soul Man?”
I used to work at Velvet and I not once saw an illegal drug. I not once saw prostitution. I not once saw him hit anyone unless self defense. Sam Moore may not be a good guy but he followed code as well as any short staffed strip club owner could do. It’s because of the ignorant southern conservative wide mouths in our community that rumors like these are spread. And he was always checking girls ID’s, if he messed around with them it was consensual. And the underage girl probably had a fake for Sam to go there.
I’m surprised that nobody has brought up the fact that he was once accused of murder in Shockoe Bottom… you’d think he’d figure out that this location is just not good for him.
I personally worked for Sam for a few years and I still love him to this day. He is an awesome man if you get to know him and he is a caring person. He can’t help it if all these sluts throw themselves at him.
sluts like yourself kitana?
Yes, he was accused of murder but he was aquitted of all charges because it was self defense. He was jumped by 4 guys. I know this man personally and no i never worked for him or slept with him but he has never done drugs and doesnt even drink i mean he may in the privacy of his room but he has never done that in public. I agree with Donna if two sisters are consenting to that it is obviously personal problems on the family’s part. No, he is not a stand up guy obviously but he is a business man and does have young girls at his every beck and call. All of the girls love him he has never hurt or disrespected any of his girls.
Sam Moore is a piece of scum. He runs a [redacted by To bacco Avenue] in his “third floor” and [redacted] who work for him. Look at all the [redacted] that have been dropped before going to court.. its because he [redacted]. He [redacted] my [redacted], who unfortunately [redacted], [redacted] and promised to [redacted]… he is a horrible person and this [redacted] is disgusting and needs to be bulldozed to the ground.
Anyone that loves this man loves him for his cocaine.
Wait, he’s got cocaine? Shit, maybe I’ll have to go back to that place, if not for the worst dances of my life, or the cheap sex, I’ll go back for the cocaine.