Taboo nightclub to open in Miami

With three locations across Jamaica – Kingston, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios – Taboo, Jamaica’s only premium strip club, is getting ready to open its first overseas club in Florida.

CEO Shemara Todd, one half of the husband-and-wife duo which owns the entity, told THE WEEKEND STAR that “Taboo nightclub is coming to shake up Miami.”

“We’ll be opening in March with a full-service kitchen, hookah lounge, and two club levels. Of course, the Jamaican influence will be strong, but Taboo is an international club, so the music and entertainment will not be limited,” she added.

Her husband, Corey, explained that spreading their wings outside of Jamaica was part of their original plan for the club. “The intent was always to open in the USA; we spent years building a worldrecognised brand. The pandemic forced our hand in regard to timing,” he said.

Since the onslaught of the COVID- 19 pandemic and the resulting protocols, including nightly curfews, the Todds have had to reposition their business, rebranding to Taboo Sports Bar and Lounge, and opening Wednesdays to Sundays in Kingston and Montego Bay only. Under existing protocols, no entertainment events are allowed at sports bars, and no more than 60 per cent of the venue must be occupied at any given time. Additionally, there must be at least six feet of space between dining tables, and a maximum of four persons are allowed to sit at a table. Although it has been challenging, Corey said that all local locations remain ready for business as soon as the Government allows.

“We have over 200 employees in Jamaica who are currently out of work. We’ve suffered immensely, absolutely no consideration has been given to the fact that we are a legitimate business. The debt is too much to even talk about,” he said.