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The Vault nightclub

Friends in Olympia have been wrong this whole time

The Vault nightclub in downtown Olympia

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My friends all groan when I tell them this week's club is The Vault.

This is to be expected. They prefer dimly lit, hole in the wall type places, where we can argue about obscure books and indie films until our hearts are content. Why subject yourself to that leering, that degradation, when there are plenty of existential crises to ponder, right here, in this tiny cafe? Am I right?  

Well, maybe.

I take the night off from the intellectual babble and head to The Vault on Sept. 11. There, it's military appreciation night. The club is crowded with young, buff marines. Guys with tight fitting shirts and large belt buckles wait patiently in line at the bar. Girls with calves so toned they could cut glass move and groove out on the club's expansive dance floor. Tonight, the club boasts three DJs: a primary DJ, his buddy, and a sort of hype man who roams the crowd, announcing upcoming songs and singing the occasional verse. Through all this commotion, the club maintains an easygoing vibe. I spot flannel shirts, same-sex couples smooching, and hip pompadours that remind me The Vault is fun for everyone.

But, it's not until after I purchase my bright blue drink and head to the dance floor that I see the club's true draw. The best part about the club is the thin, chrome stripper pole positioned off to one side of the stage. Usually reserved for The Vault's own go-go dancers, tonight the pole is open to any inebriated individual wanting to step up to the challenge. I watch as a bevy of guys and girls try their best to impersonate Demi Moore. Some shake, some sizzle, and some nearly take a dive off the pole and into the surrounding tables.

My friends are idiots. Occasionally it's fun to get dressed up, mist on some Brut, and cruise the dance floor looking for a make out. Occasionally, the Vault is much better than a stuffy café.

Hell, watching this 20-something struggle and sweat his way to the top of the pole is worth the cover alone.

The Vault Nightclub

425 Franklin St. SE, Olympia
360.357.4721

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