Brothel at Torresdale & Longshore??

**Tail** · 12-12-2012, 09:11 PM

I was in the 7/11 at Diston and overheard a junkie girl saying to another girl she is trying to get a gig at the brothel. The friend asked where is it and the reply was "right around the corner at Longshore and Torresdale". The other girl seemed to be surprised by the location. I was hoping to hear more specific address, but never came while I was in there.

Anyone aware of this? I know that part of Torresdale has seen better days, but a brothel??

**Scoats** · 12-13-2012, 08:03 AM

I heard about this yesterday from a different source. It seems the store with the "The E" sign has some sort of sex related business going on. What exactly they do is not yet known. Speculation is it could be an Internet streaming video thing which might be fully legal.

For legal and logistical reasons the Vice Squad seems to need a month or two shut such things down once it is brought to their attention. If it is a brothel, you can be sure it would be there in 3 months.

**xanthus** · 12-13-2012, 04:48 PM

I've heard a couple hundred jokes that begin with, "A guy walks into a cathouse ...", but I've never actually seen a real one. I'm no kid either. I'd like to see the inside of one before I die ... y'know, just out of socio-economic curiosity. No, really.

But, in a serious vein, how the hell do these places get to exist to begin with? You'd think there would priests and nuns with kettle drums and signs protesting against it on the sidewalk outside. I'd like an exact address if you have one, Scoats, because I want to look up who owns the property and if that person owes any back taxes.

**Scoats** · 12-14-2012, 08:06 AM

You can see lots of brothels on the side streets of Center City. You just have to know what to look for. If there is a door to an upper floor with the street address and street name on it but no other information, "1783 Filbert St." for example, that's probably a brothel. When such a sign appeared in front of the basement of the triplex across the intersection from us, I got my first clue that it had probably become a brothel. We did get it shut down. Took about 6 weeks.

How/why do they exist? If these places are in a somewhat hidden location (such as back alleys amid high rise office buildings) and don't advertise what goes on there, citizens don't notice. And out of sight, out of mind. If they aren't causing any issues, then the police have other things to worry about. Such as streetwalkers, which do get noticed.

I believe with the property in question, the tenants are renters.

The building has had a large illuminated sign "The E" with no other information on it for a while now. I do not know if the sign is for the current operation or a previous enterprise. Either way, it's not the sort of thing you would expect for a business that would be attempting to fly under the radar. Which would imply whatever it is they are doing there, it's probably legal or mostly legal. And by "mostly legal: I mean if anything is illegal, it is likely not an issue for the police but for L&I. There are so many L&I regulations that even the most legal business is probably doing something illegal.

**thoth** · 12-14-2012, 11:20 AM

I've been told that if you ask basically any cabbie in the city to take you to a whorehouse, you're in for a short trip. Unmarked brothels are all over the place, particularly in Chinatown. There's at least one that fronts the expressway, very close to the police station...

Originally Posted by Scoats

You can see lots of brothels on the side streets of Center City. You just have to know what to look for. If there is a door to an upper floor with the street address and street name on it but no other information, "1783 Filbert St." for example, that's probably a brothel. When such a sign appeared in front of the basement of the triplex across the intersection from us, I got my first clue that it had probably become a brothel. We did get it shut down. Took about 6 weeks.

How/why do they exist? If these places are in a somewhat hidden location (such as back alleys amid high rise office buildings) and don't advertise what goes on there, citizens don't notice. And out of sight, out of mind. If they aren't causing any issues, then the police have other things to worry about. Such as streetwalkers, which do get noticed.

I believe with the property in question, the tenants are renters.

The building has had a large illuminated sign "The E" with no other information on it for a while now. I do not know if the sign is for the current operation or a previous enterprise. Either way, it's not the sort of thing you would expect for a business that would be attempting to fly under the radar. Which would imply whatever it is they are doing there, it's probably legal or mostly legal. And by "mostly legal: I mean if anything is illegal, it is likely not an issue for the police but for L&I. There are so many L&I regulations that even the most legal business is probably doing something illegal.

**xanthus** · 12-14-2012, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by thoth

I've been told that if you ask basically any cabbie in the city to take you to a whorehouse, you're in for a short trip. Unmarked brothels are all over the place, particularly in Chinatown. There's at least one that fronts the expressway, very close to the police station...

Well, I'm a former taxi driver and I can tell you for real that pointing out where the cat houses are was not part of any training I got from Yellow Cab. And, despite having driven a collection of all kinds of people, I was never asked to be taken to one either. Everything SCOATS describes makes sense to me. Sort of spooky that these places have been here all along, just a little removed from my perception of the city.

**thoth** · 12-14-2012, 03:24 PM

I believe you. I just have one anecdote from a friend who, on a drunken birthday, got into a cab with a buddy asked the cabbie to take them to whorehouse. Somehow the guy knew to take them to an unmarked building on Winter St. I also believe him.

Originally Posted by xanthus

Well, I'm a former taxi driver and I can tell you for real that pointing out where the cat houses are was not part of any training I got from Yellow Cab. And, despite having driven a collection of all kinds of people, I was never asked to be taken to one either. Everything SCOATS describes makes sense to me. Sort of spooky that these places have been here all along, just a little removed from my perception of the city.

**xanthus** · 12-14-2012, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by thoth

I believe you. I just have one anecdote from a friend who, on a drunken birthday, got into a cab with a buddy asked the cabbie to take them to whorehouse. Somehow the guy knew to take them to an unmarked building on Winter St. I also believe him.

Winter St., huh. What else is on that street?

There's a good side of what a cabbie can recommend, too. When my wife and I travel, I always go cab stands outside our hotels and ask the cab drivers to name the restaurants, bars and night clubs that are good but aren't tourist traps. I always tip whoever answers and have had better vacations because of the practice. Nobody ever recommended a cat house. Maybe I look prudish. Dunno.

I always tried to steer people away from the tourist traps when I drove. Example was Bookbinders (either of them). I'd never knock the food, but the prices were built for people with expense accounts, not vacation budgets. I'd recommend Snockies on 2nd Street. The food there always good. The place was homey. The prices cheaper than Bookbinder's.

**thoth** · 12-14-2012, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by xanthus

Winter St., huh. What else is on that street?

There's a good side of what a cabbie can recommend, too. When my wife and I travel, I always go cab stands outside our hotels and ask the cab drivers to name the restaurants, bars and night clubs that are good but aren't tourist traps. I always tip whoever answers and have had better vacations because of the practice. Nobody ever recommended a cat house. Maybe I look prudish. Dunno.

I always tried to steer people away from the tourist traps when I drove. Example was Bookbinders (either of them). I'd never knock the food, but the prices were built for people with expense accounts, not vacation budgets. I'd recommend Snockies on 2nd Street. The food there always good. The place was homey. The prices cheaper than Bookbinder's.

Not much, just the surviving half of a rowhouse block that faces 676. His blurry memory was the 900 block of Winter.

Good advice, btw. Clammy hour is the ****.

**qweezyq** · 12-14-2012, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by thoth

Not much, just the surviving half of a rowhouse block that faces 676. His blurry memory was the 900 block of Winter.

Good advice, btw. Clammy hour is the ****.

snockeys is so gross

**thoth** · 12-14-2012, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by qweezyq

snockeys is so gross

raw bar during happy hour has always seemed good to me.

**billy ross** · 12-14-2012, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by qweezyq

snockeys is so gross

Well, they're authentic at least. It depends upon what you're looking for. It's a slice of Philly, if nothing else. I'll take bluefish anywhere I can get it.

Odd factoid: they moved off of South Street because they were displaced by the impending expressway. That wasn't built.

**CHIOSSO** · 12-14-2012, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by billy ross

Well, they're authentic at least. It depends upon what you're looking for. It's a slice of Philly, if nothing else. I'll take bluefish anywhere I can get it.

Odd factoid: they moved off of South Street because they were displaced by the impending expressway. That wasn't built.

Snockies was on 8th street. Between Lombard and South next to the society hill playhouse.

**hadenough** · 12-15-2012, 05:09 PM

There were two girls working Torresdale Avenue today between Hellerman and Levick, I glared at them while I was waiting for the light to change to cross at Hellerman, one girl walked around the corner and the other girl started walking down the street toward Levick. After leaving the WAWA I looked again and they were both still there. I live a few blocks above Torresdale and don't want them working the street. What do you do, i didn't call 911 because to me I feel they have other priorities and wondered if they would even respond. What is the best course of action to take when you see something like this?

**Scoats** · 12-16-2012, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by hadenough

There were two girls working Torresdale Avenue today between Hellerman and Levick, I glared at them while I was waiting for the light to change to cross at Hellerman, one girl walked around the corner and the other girl started walking down the street toward Levick. After leaving the WAWA I looked again and they were both still there. I live a few blocks above Torresdale and don't want them working the street. What do you do, i didn't call 911 because to me I feel they have other priorities and wondered if they would even respond. What is the best course of action to take when you see something like this?

Report it to Tacony Townwatch (they have a Facebook page). They will forward it along.

**hadenough** · 12-16-2012, 01:26 PM

Thanks, Scoats - there is no one out there this afternoon, maybe they read these threads and know that someone is watching their corner and have moved their wares elsewhere. I'll keep an eye this week.

**AsYouWere** · 12-16-2012, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by hadenough

Thanks, Scoats - there is no one out there this afternoon, maybe they read these threads and know that someone is watching their corner and have moved their wares elsewhere. I'll keep an eye this week.

Are they impeding on someone's territory? It's possible they did see this thread on their IPads and will move up a block if Wi-Fi is available there.

**xanthus** · 12-18-2012, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by AsYouWere

Are they impeding on someone's territory? It's possible they did see this thread on their IPads and will move up a block if Wi-Fi is available there.

I wonder if any hookers have their own blogs. Bet that would a different thing to read. Maybe they Tweet.

Something like: Guy in suit on 6900 block is mine. Saw him 1st, u hos. Hands off!!

U rite, grl. That tie is pure silk. Moneeeeee!

Yours? Hes 1 of my reglars. U keep hands off, b***ch!

Ah, technology.

**insolito** · 12-19-2012, 03:27 PM

I live in that neighborhood, and the presence of sex workers doesn't really bug me.... as long as they don't bother me or my kids... times are hard... as long the girls are legal age and not being forced into it, I say leave them be... JMO

**Jayfar** · 12-19-2012, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by Scoats

You can see lots of brothels on the side streets of Center City. You just have to know what to look for. If there is a door to an upper floor with the street address and street name on it but no other information, "1783 Filbert St." for example, that's probably a brothel.

Besides names can lead to embarrassing confusion, recalling many years ago seeing a red-faced couple exiting an establishment on Ludlow St named Asian Delight, where they no doubt didn't find the Shrimp Lo Mein they were seeking.