KPTM FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |Strip Club Plans Makeover into Community Center

Strip Club Plans Makeover into Community Center

Shelley Russell

OMAHA (KPTM) – A former strip club has plans to turn into a community center. Sheri's Go Go Club was bought by the neighboring Kohll's Pharmacy in February.

The pharmacy originally planned on tearing the building down and expanding.

However, they announced Wednesday they donated the space to "inCOMMON" – a group that works to empower communities.

"It's taking something that's taken away from the community – a show club – and bringing community into it. And it's going to brighten up the neighborhood," said nearby resident Robbie Miller.

Miller has lived west of downtown for almost four-years.

He said his neighborhood has a "dark side, but it's got a good side as well. The hope is to bring that good side out."

Calvin Smothers is the director of the Park Avenue Community Center. He said, "There's a lot of work this place needs…so hopefully we can get some volunteers together and hopefully get enough people together and make it a community center within a couple months."

The inCOMMON community center will operate through a collaborative effort between inCOMMON staff and volunteers, the UNO School of Social Work, Big Gardens, while partnering faith communities, neighborhood associations and local residents.

President of Kohll's Pharmacy David Kohll said, "If they [inCOMMON] can make good use out of it, make it look neat and make it look like a shining area for the neighborhood, then I think everybody wins."

Community volunteers are needed. To find out more information, visit inCOMMON online at www.inCOMMONcd.org.