The vibe is electric and upbeat, criteria that you’d think would be natural at an entertainment venue. But over time, Lips lost its luster. Now with a new look, new name, and renewed respect by owners, the spot is once again becoming a community hub.
The owners of Aqua in Key West bought the spot about four months ago, just days before it was supposed to close, and rebranded it Aquaplex Fort Lauderdale.
The story sounds like a made-for-TV drama, with a new buyer coming in at the last minute. Given the need for title searches, deposits, deed stamps and more, most realtors will tell you it’s impossible. But it happened.
“The first time we came up was for Sunday Brunch and three days later we had Aquaplex,” new co-owner Mike Barrett said.
He says the deal was based a lot on trust and used an escrow account until all the Ts were crossed.
“We love what we’re doing here,” he said. “What the girls are doing are the things that made me buy this club. I had a couple of the girls in Key West tell me everyone was losing their jobs and if there was anything I could do. I said sure.”
For several years, owners had Lips on autopilot, ignoring maintenance and putting the day-to-day burden of operations on the queens, who were already performing, serving, and hostessing.
“It’s amazing,” longtime employee and drag entertainer Asheeria Pryce said. “It’s an absolute pleasure to work in an environment that’s been upgraded like this.”
They pulled up the very used carpet, opened a new seating area, and cleaned nooks and crannies that may not have seen a dust cloth since Lips opened 17 years ago.
The crown jewel of the renovations is the stage. With the big screen in the background, it’s designed to be versatile enough to let queens explore their performance creativity.
Suzie Toot, a former Lips employee and current contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” gushed during a recent homecoming appearance.
“This is so fierce. I don’t know if you remember when I was working here, but Aquaplex has upgraded this shit like crazy.”
Despite former owners’ seeming indifference in general, the venue was philanthropic until the end, hosting various benefits and fundraisers. Barrett says that spirit will continue, and they are already reaching out to local organizations.
