The world’s oldest profession ain’t what it used to be as these abandoned brothels, bordellos and bawdy houses so sleazily show.

Oh brothels, where art thou? Brothels can be found just about anywhere regardless of any local legal injunctions prohibiting their existence. Where they ARE permitted – the state of Nevada, for example – savvy owners often locate as close as possible to places that ban them. Flickr user Joel Childers (Vacant West) brings us these artfully (and eerily) lit images of Janie’s Ranch taken in early 2010.

Janie’s Ranch is situated on Nevada Highway 6 between Tonopah, Nevada and Bishop, California. Janie’s, which closed in the 1990s, used to advertise their sleazy services in California border towns including Bishop and Mammoth Lakes.

The Caged Bird Swings

Brothels were commonplace in the oft-lawless Old West. Precious few of these then-essential establishments have been preserved as well as the Bird Cage Theatre in Tombstone, Arizona.

Operating from 1881 through 1889 (Wyatt Earp met his third wife there), the combination brothel, saloon and casino was shuttered until 1934 when new owners discovered a lost world frozen in time. Over 120 bullet holes (some with embedded slugs) can be found in the building’s walls, floors and ceilings. The place’s motto should’ve been “wham, BLAM, thank you ma’am.”

Ghosts Of Pleasures Past

The ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada exploded into being in 1905 when gold was discovered nearby. The mines quickly played out, however, causing the town’s population to plummet from a high of about 5,000 to just 1 in 1922. The small but solidly-built brothel above, captured in 2008 by Flickr user Jitze Couperus, boasted an innovative roof made from flattened kerosene cans. Now that’s hot!

It’s Curtains For Ya

Bobbie’s Buckeye Bar & Brothel had been closed and abandoned for quite some time when Flickr user Bradley Fulton (escapo) chanced upon its remains in 2006. The Tonopah, Nevada brothel appeared to be a rather large and well-organized business with “nicely” furnished quarters for the working girls.

The warm & fuzzy atmosphere infusing these photos was achieved through the photographer’s use of cross-processing on expired film – appropriate for an expired brothel. Of course, nothing can beat the cheesiness of those painted-on curtains!

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Fleeting moments of pleasure, a lifetime of neglect: that pretty much sums up the Queen Chateau soapland, a now-abandoned “brothel with baths” in Mito, Japan.

The Queen of Clean

(image via: Michael John Grist)

The abandoned Queen Chateau in Mito, two-hours northeast of Tokyo, epitomizes the often gauche and over-the-top architecture commonly displayed by Japan’s legions of Love Hotels and Soaplands. The latter, for those unfamiliar with the term, are thinly-disguised brothels where male clients are “bathed” and ahem, catered to by female attendants. Feeling hung out to dry in Japan? You must be at a soapland!

(images via: Mike’s Blender, Seb and Redjunction)

Formerly known as toruko-buro (literally “Turkish Bath”), the popular descriptor for these establishments was changed to the more innocuous “Soapland” in 1984 following a successful campaign by offended Turkish scholar Nusret Sancakli. It was decided that a nationwide contest would be held to determine what new term should be used for such establishments and Soapland was the winner. Only in Japan, amiright? In any case, the semantic switch occurred right around the time of the Queen Chateau’s grand opening in April of 1984.

Let’s Get Carded

(images via: Michael John Grist and Totoro Times)

The Queen Chateau soapland is situated on a hill in Mito’s otherwise-thriving red light district, a location that accentuates its multistory castle-inspired layout. If “Dracula” was remade by Vivid Video, this would be the Count’s bachelor pad. A tile mosaic of a playing card Queen – probably the Queen of Hearts though no suit is indicated – extends three-quarters of the way up the front facade. Impressive from afar, up close the many missing tiles reveal the extent of the building’s decay since it was abandoned.

(images via: Mike’s Blender and Michael John Grist)

A ground-level view from intrepid Haikyo (modern ruins) explorer Michael John Grist is a surreal scene that simply screams “neglect”. Rampant weed overgrowth and an accumulation of detritus & debris shroud the blocked main entrance, forcing any curious urban explorers and/or local homeless types (one of whom is rumored to have died inside) to gain egress via the back entrance formerly used by the hired help.

Welcome to the Pleasure Doom

(images via: Totoro Times)

As is SOP with most semi-shady erotic operations of this nature, the actual service providers received few considerations from the shadowy operators. In the case of the Queen Chateau soapland, the “staff” of 10 had only a windowless, communal basement room to retreat to when not on duty. The room’s furniture consisted of 6 bunk-beds and just outside are the ruins of a small dining room and a tiny bathroom.

(image via: Totoro Times)

A narrow concrete corridor leads from the staff area to the first floor lobby, where the main focal point is a disturbingly defaced mural of three charming bath companions. Can you say “sleazy”? I knew you could! A semicircular front desk did double duty as the building’s communications hub while off to one side, a sweeping stairway with an ornate wrought iron bannister beckoned clients to the nirvana awaiting them on the upper floors.

Please Don’t Stair

(images via: Michael John Grist and Seb)

Nowadays a different sort of reward is promised to those contemplating higher pursuits: the Japanese graffiti at the foot of the stairs reads “If you go upstairs you will die.” Since philosophically speaking (and to paraphrase a quote from the film Heavy Metal) “I die, you die, we all die” eventually, ignoring the warning and making the fateful climb won’t really change things in the long run. Luckily for you and I, brave urban explorers Michael John Grist, Jordy Meow and the jolly gang from 28 Days Later among others have photo-documented their experiences on our behalf.

(image via: Totoro Times)

The road to Hell might be paved with good intentions but this stairway to heaven – sorry, Page & Plant – is carpeted with vermilion and gold shag… that last word is in no way coincidental.

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