not my generation but I was fascinated by that place on bardstown road in the 80's 90's. Tinted windows and a tiger wagging its tail. I loved that sign. Talked about it on ramsey and Rutherford
Toy Tiger stories
- Thread starter santamaria78
- Start date
TT could be a pretty rough place at times. I always remember reading about people getting stabbed or some random gun play on weekends. I went there once in its final year (in my early 20's) for the annual homemade bikini contest where girls would use things like plastic wrap and three dollar bills to make a suit. Nothing like cheap booze and loose women to get a party started. There were also a bunch of cheap motels next door the TT where you could rent rooms by the hour to take your hookup/hooker. Very popular with the boys from Ft. Knox.
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Seems like a good place to take in a Ratt show.
My pediatrician was across the street from it. Always wanted to go there
Did it have an East and West location? Hmm?
Advantage: Lexington.
Advantage: Lexington.
I would argue every place is a good place to see Ratt.
They used to have nickel beer night and then quarter beer night on Monday or Tuesday nights (circa 1992). That was amazing. Also, they had wet t-shirt contests where they'd pick the sexiest girls to win cash. And they'd pick random patrons to be judges and of course the girls would do whatever it took to win some votes.
Man, what a time to be alive.
Man, what a time to be alive.
Sure sounds like a strip club.
But it wasn’t. That was the fun.
Just a redneck dive bar in a 50s era retro/Googie package.
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The Toy what? Toy Tiger? Hmmmm. Let me think. Nope. Nah, man...I've never even heard of it. Sounds like a disgusting place though. A disgusting place that exploited women...which I obviously wouldn't have had anything to do with...even if I had heard of it...which I haven't.
What was it called again? The Toy Cheetah? Oh...Tiger. Ok. Got it. See...the name still doesn't ring a bell.
What was it called again? The Toy Cheetah? Oh...Tiger. Ok. Got it. See...the name still doesn't ring a bell.
Up next..Studebakers in Whittington Pkwy
The Toy Tiger was owned by Luthor James. He was a mobster/Bookie in he 70'and early 80's.
Went once. Was a hotlegs contest in one room that became basically a free lap dance from the female contestants.
Then a metal band in another room that was wearing costumes that included the singer w/ a huge foam penis.
Then a metal band in another room that was wearing costumes that included the singer w/ a huge foam penis.
Went in about 1980 i believe. We sat down ordered a beer and i looked down and there was a hundred dollar bill on the floor. Scooped that dude up and we got drunk as ish
I went there in the middle 70's and I remember them having two rooms with 2 bands playing one at a time when the other was on break. Wasn't a rough place then. Other Louisville places I remember was The Troubador and Harlows. Was a Wild time!!
I went to college in the late 90's / early 2000's... when girls wore business casual blue shirts / black pants out to the bars. There was no Toy Tiger. I hate my life.
Wet tshirt
Hot legs
Homemade bikini
And my fave, the banana eating contest...
Good times
Hot legs
Homemade bikini
And my fave, the banana eating contest...
Good times
I bartended there during college in the early 70s ... just the summers and during breaks when I was UK. Mr James was a family friend and always had a spot for me. I started at age 19. Learned ALOT. Paid my tuition and rent off those tips. Big money moving through and an innovator as to events to draw customers from every walk. Goldmine until he lost his manager in the 90s. Never thought it would ever fold.
Can we get a Cats Pause go fund me to get this started again? @Kybluedude are you avail to bartend?
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And you would be listening to WLRS or WQMF and they would be advertising the banana eating contest on the commercials, definitely was a different time.
The band with the foam penis was Fire Dept. covering AC/DC. I almost broke my neck on a mechanical bull at Troubadour. Went to the Tiger for the last time Derby Eve ‘89, the year it sleeted on us in the infield. Felt like hail.
i saw sam kinison at stake n shake after seeing coming to america... im sure he was comed out from rhe tiger
I lived in Louisville from about 1978-1972.
Never was a big fan of Toy Tiger. I liked Troubadour a little better -- probably because of the location. I DID like when Troubadour opened the 3030 club (oldies) on the second floor. They even let me bring my records (remember them?) in and DJ one night. Everyone was shouting their favorite oldies. I remember a lot of people loved "Tighten Up." (by Archie Bell and the Drells from Houston, Texas...)
As mentioned earlier Troubadour had a mechanical bull. Then they added a mechanical surfboard, which I thought was stupid. At least you have two legs to hold on to the bull.
Anyway I went with my friends to Toy Tiger one evening. It was three-deep at the bar.
So one of my du.....ss friends ordered some flaming shots.
When he handed one to me it spilled all over my fingers. The flames were amusing for about 1.5 seconds. Then the burning started. I dropped the shot...and it made a circle on the floor with about a 6-foot diameter surrounded by blue flame.
The crowd gave way.
Though the main bar was packed, I shouted "Give me some ice water!" to the bartender. People moved away and the bartender immediately responded.
I kept my fingers in the ice water the rest of the night.....and drank heavily.
The next morning I was gathering my thoughts and looked to see a huge blister on my fingers.
I didn't think I would ever tell that story.
Never was a big fan of Toy Tiger. I liked Troubadour a little better -- probably because of the location. I DID like when Troubadour opened the 3030 club (oldies) on the second floor. They even let me bring my records (remember them?) in and DJ one night. Everyone was shouting their favorite oldies. I remember a lot of people loved "Tighten Up." (by Archie Bell and the Drells from Houston, Texas...)
As mentioned earlier Troubadour had a mechanical bull. Then they added a mechanical surfboard, which I thought was stupid. At least you have two legs to hold on to the bull.
Anyway I went with my friends to Toy Tiger one evening. It was three-deep at the bar.
So one of my du.....ss friends ordered some flaming shots.
When he handed one to me it spilled all over my fingers. The flames were amusing for about 1.5 seconds. Then the burning started. I dropped the shot...and it made a circle on the floor with about a 6-foot diameter surrounded by blue flame.
The crowd gave way.
Though the main bar was packed, I shouted "Give me some ice water!" to the bartender. People moved away and the bartender immediately responded.
I kept my fingers in the ice water the rest of the night.....and drank heavily.
The next morning I was gathering my thoughts and looked to see a huge blister on my fingers.
I didn't think I would ever tell that story.
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And Motel Sex.....I mean Six, was right across the parking lot. [banana]
But it wasn’t. That was the fun.
Just a redneck dive bar in a 50s era retro/Googie package.
I grew up 150 miles from Louisville but still have youthful memories of the Toy Tiger.
Growing up, the family would make an annual pilgrimage to the Kentucky State Fair, and dad would have us stay at the Holiday Inn across the road or at the Motel 6.
I thought the Toy Tiger sign was cool, and I asked my parents once if we could go there, and was told “it’s a place for grown-ups”.
Sadly never did make it inside.
I was a regular out there for a while. Hot legs, home made bikini contests and heavy metal. What more could a guy ask for? I actually had a VIP card.
What's flipping wrong with this country that there isn't a Toy Tiger currently operating in Louisville? I'd go there right freaking now and drop a hundy at the bar for all to enjoy.
Trixies- made a deal with a couple buddies w/same moth bdays to hit up the titty bar at 18…
walk in with a linebacker of a woman on stage, long blonde hair but would sack your *** off the edge. A lot like AJ Hawk.
we didn’t know what we had gotten into, but who cares…titties.
hang out for a while, sit for the ugly ones, the fat ones, the goth ones and then BOOM -must’ve hit the lottery bc there was a trio back to back to back that could’ve been playmates…excellent.
then halftime ended and Hawk out of the tunnel and-off the edge - whispers to my buddy to which he couldn’t understand and asks her what? She repeats loudly “I said, can you breathe mother effer!” And suffocates him with her tig-os….
he got a lap dance from one of the beauties after the trauma and all was well. Strolled out 10 mins after us, belt in hand….looked happy, content.
high school.
walk in with a linebacker of a woman on stage, long blonde hair but would sack your *** off the edge. A lot like AJ Hawk.
we didn’t know what we had gotten into, but who cares…titties.
hang out for a while, sit for the ugly ones, the fat ones, the goth ones and then BOOM -must’ve hit the lottery bc there was a trio back to back to back that could’ve been playmates…excellent.
then halftime ended and Hawk out of the tunnel and-off the edge - whispers to my buddy to which he couldn’t understand and asks her what? She repeats loudly “I said, can you breathe mother effer!” And suffocates him with her tig-os….
he got a lap dance from one of the beauties after the trauma and all was well. Strolled out 10 mins after us, belt in hand….looked happy, content.
high school.
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Rarely went to Toy Tiger. Started out at Troubador during college, then Babes at the Mall and then Harlows in DuPont which was a fabulous club. Great music and dancing and lots of pretty ladies. Met my wife there. Loved those years.
Sadly my best story was about not even getting into the building. They were having a homemade bikini contest and 4 of us were going in to watch. We stopped to ask a security guard where we entered and he put up a finger as he was on a walkie. when he got done we asked again and he lost his **** and started yelling at us and called for help. We had 2 dudes that were 6'5" 250#+ and I think he just got scared. It was so weird to see a dude just immediately call for help when all we did was ask which door we entered in. They kicked us out in the parking lot for asking which door we entered in. LOL.
In the earlier days I watched a ton of venus model searches because a girl we went to hs with was trying to break into modeling and we traveled to all those to support and drink beer. The tiger had several of those.
In the earlier days I watched a ton of venus model searches because a girl we went to hs with was trying to break into modeling and we traveled to all those to support and drink beer. The tiger had several of those.