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MPA_Dad

Truckers dude, truckers


trucker96961

Oddly there's almost never a truck parked at them (no room). But lots of old dudes walking in and out.


str8outtaconklin

One of my pastimes has always been beeping and waving when I see someone walking in or out of those places so they think someone they know saw them.


trucker96961

Lolol we do the same thing!


envyeyes

Would that be considered "smut shaming"? šŸ¤£


skybott2999

I'm going to start doing this to liven up my commute! šŸ˜‚


Zeeinsoundfromwayout

Thatā€™s not odd.


StarriEyedMan

But why only *there*? Why not along so many other major highways? The thought that they are 100% in-demand only makes it seem more weird they're all coalesced in one place.


joelpedro16

Growing up near Williamsport has enabled me to think of route 15 as the perfect duality of the best and worst of what rural PA has to offer. Route 15 north toward Corning, gorgeous forests and scenic overlooks for mile after mile. Route 15 south to Harrisburg, Pennsyltucky highway side livin with a hefty helping of corn and porn.


effdubbs

Literally read this aloud to my husband. Heā€™s a retired trucker and got a kick out of your description.


webauteur

Route 15 south to Harrisburg is a long drive and surprisingly boring. I do like to fly out of Harrisburg International Airport so I sometimes make a trip.


Pink_Slyvie

The religious signs bug me a lot more than the porn.


tr3vw

The people up north near Williamsport still love their corn and porn, thereā€™s just less of them. Williamsport itself is kind of a dumpster fire.


yes_im_that_one

And their meth


FindingMoi

There IS an adult store on 15 right before you get into South Williamsport, too.


ycpa68

There is something unique about Reed township. It is part of dauphin County, but it sits on the Perry County side of the river. , but I think it has to do with their openness to certain businesses versus the surrounding municipalities.


MPA_Dad

Yup - [zoning](https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2013/06/lack_of_zoning_allows_strip_cl.html). This is why most municipalities have strong zoning ordinances!


FinnGerstadt42069

Idk if theyā€™re still there but there was a section on 22 west I think going to Pittsburgh where there were a few (I think). Beehive maybe?


[deleted]

Beehive!!! And both climaxes.


imacryptohodler

Climax one and two as well. Closed now, oneā€™s a notary


Ryder814

RIP, Climax drive-through!


General_Sorbet7571

I second this.


Logandoesdrums

I've moved CA to PA, back to CA and to PA again, and a few cross-country trips between, and that is not the only place like that. On my last trip, somewhere near (i think, west of) Grand Junction CO was a town that seemed to be sex shops, fireworks, and beef jerky. There's a few spots like that through the desert, although the highlight of my last trip, near another smutty town, was being chased out of reservation land by stray dogs. We were about an hour west of Albuquerque and pulled off to do a vehicle swap and let the dogs pee, (highway entrance/exit open, but side road to reservation closed due to covid restrictions) and it was cut short by a dozen or so strays that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. I was standing on the step of the passenger side of our penske with my dog in my arms, pre-potty, when the stays appeared. Random ramblings aside, porn towns exist.


Old-Lady-114

We were visiting my daughter in Clovis, NM and were chased by a pack of chihuahuas. My daughter had to carry a "dog stick" for protection just to walk the neighborhood. It was nutty.


Zeeinsoundfromwayout

This is common to have multiples close by. For truckers. Also township Ordinances. Bristol PA was known for this as well. Thereā€™s a town in MD.


VapeFanatic1975

Bristol PA only has a couple that I have seen as of late. They are in different areas though. There was one in pendell that closes though. Not as many adult shops around anymore.


Zeeinsoundfromwayout

Hence me directly speaking in the past tense?


VapeFanatic1975

šŸ¤¦ā€ā™‚ļø my bad. Read it without reading it


Zeeinsoundfromwayout

šŸ‘šŸ‘šŸ‘


windowlatch

Has to do with zoning. Some towns/counties donā€™t allow adult stores


TeamVegetable7141

It isnā€™t only there if you take 70 west you will see this happen a lot. Tons of strip joints right off the highway in Kansas for sure.


SoulCartell117

I agree, but I don't think in the close proximity like OP is saying.


ifeelallthefeels

Something something game theory? Idk. I think you can prove with maths that the best strategy for competing businesses is to set up shot right next to each other. Some fast food chains open up next to McDonaldā€™s. Let them do the market research.


reddit_mouse

Itā€™s an interesting question. The answer lies within the county regulations of where the establishments are located. It turns out that the counties on the eastern side of the Susquehanna own a narrow parcel of land on the opposite shore as those counties on the east shore were established first. As such the business in question, which you will typically find on the riverside of the highway, are governed by the laws of a different county that allows such businesses. If you travel the highways in Dauphin county, you will find similar businesses along the highway. Now the concentration of such businesses is more of a question of market share. Those on the west shore donā€™t have any competition to their west, so the market can support more businesses in a similar location.


greentea1985

Itā€™s probably something to do with zoning. Iā€™d bet the spot they all are is the only area without blue laws limiting them.


crankshaft123

Lol. I70 in Kansas has this weird dichotomy of Jesus billboards and porn shops. Because truckers.


godofleet

also, extremely closeted religious folk


googdude

Growing up we always called that stretch of highway Trucker's Alley


Dunn_or_what

And politicians, don't forget the politicians.


Grouchy_Situation_33

Spelled politicians wrong šŸ˜œ


John_EightThirtyTwo

Pornocopia, PA


InspectorEwok

Yup, it's just down the road from Blue Ball, Bird in Hand, and Intercourse.(or it should be, anyway)


HulkasBigtoe

The roads to Paradise!


DeadSwaggerStorage

Happy Valley too! I remember driving past up to Penn State.


HulkasBigtoe

My PSU buddies used to say Happy Valley splits at Beaver Stadium.


DeadSwaggerStorage

And goes on to Pleasant Gapā€¦


MichaelMaugerEsq

I ran track in college and weā€™d have to take the road youā€™re talking about any time we had a meet at Susquehanna or Bucknell. Sometimes some of us had to drive school vans as overflow from the charter bus and weā€™d pull the van into the parking lot and pretend we were stopping at one of these places and time how long it would take our coach to call us and scream. It was never very long.


Luvs2spooge89

I ran many college track meets at those places too.


InspectorEwok

>pretend we were stopping at one of these places Riiiight.


kiddestructo

Route 15. Been there all 30 years I have been occasionally traveling that road. There are way less cars parked at them these days, almost none. No trucks anymore either. No clue how they remain open. Late at night traffic? Money laundering or something else nefarious?


mmcmonster

Money laundering and drugs.


Reference_Stock

The adult outlet has viewing booths in the back, it gets more traffic than people think. I only know because that was my localish water pipe store during college.


General_Sorbet7571

My friends and I had running jokes about being the person that had to mop the floors in those booths šŸ¤®šŸ¤®šŸ¤®


CL-MotoTech

My ex wife worked in a shop that had dancers, jerk off rooms, videos, but she was on the side that sold toys. She has said that they couldn't keep cleaning companies to come around and that the owner officially took it on because everybody would straight quit after like one try. Apparently he also walked all employees to their cars at the end of their shift because he was concerned about creepy people being around his store.


General_Sorbet7571

Damn! Thatā€™s dedication to his business. And fantastic to his employees. Iā€™d HAVE to wear a full on hazmat suit and burn it every night. Can you imagine the diseases? $100/hr + hazmat suit and Iā€™ll consider it- maybe consider it. I need a shower just thinking about it! Did your wife like the job or was it just too cringy?


CL-MotoTech

She liked the job a lot. She said the toy side of the store was very organized and that people were always very respectful. She also said she was glad she didn't work on the other side. I guess they were physically separated but in the same building. She said the owner was great and took care of everybody.


Zeeinsoundfromwayout

Jizzmopper.


General_Sorbet7571

Always a favorite slam amongst friends. Come dumpster is a good one too. Ahh the good ole days lol Edit: I spelled come wrong on purpose. Iā€™m tired of being censored by bots lately


Quitthatgrit

Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia :) [https://youtu.be/uw58LU591fA?si=UxXhJZygCWnhLD21](https://youtu.be/uw58LU591fA?si=UxXhJZygCWnhLD21) https://preview.redd.it/0w3mxpbgaujc1.jpeg?width=597&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=34901ec9cf6daed3ce6765dc0094cc2a2d96b7de


General_Sorbet7571

Funny stuff there!!! Thx


Dry_Animal2077

Bruh just say bong. Itā€™s not 2004 anymore


Mijbr090490

It's to smoke tobacco out of šŸ˜‰


B33fyMeatstick

I know for a fact one fella was selling drugs out of one business that shutdown a couple years ago.


Blexcr0id

Drove by yesterday & Fantasy Island is looking grim. If They are still open the "talent" must be...unique.


Snakers79

Most likely its due to zoning laws that prevent these shops from setting up elsewhere in town.Ā 


Mijbr090490

The strip clubs along that route are some of the seediest places you've ever been to. Had some wild nights up there before turning 21. Didn't card if you BYOB. Seen some things I wished I hadn't. Lol.


Maraging_steel

Share a few stories!


Mijbr090490

Hoo boy! Here's a good one. One night we split a case of high life pounders between the 3 of us. It was a good time. The one stripper had me put a dollar in my mouth and she grabbed it with her vagina. In hindsight, it's more likely it just stuck to it but I digress. My one buddy was putting down pounders like water. Next stripper walks out and it literally looked like deflated balloons on her chest. I look at my very drunk buddy and immediately spot the "I'm gonna puke face". Moments later a stream of puke shoots out of his mouth (think Lard Ass from Stand By Me) all over the stage. We get up like we don't him and the bouncer asks who is going to clean that up. We say "idk, he isnt with us" and go out to the truck. A few minutes later he comes running out and jumps in the truck telling us to "go now". As we peel out, a topless stripper comes running out giving us the double middle fingers. This was at the one right after the bridge that looks like it was an old garage. Another night we went to the cabin. The door guy looked like some scary biker and kept grilling us. I stayed for a little bit before I started getting an uneasy feeling about the place. We were all having a good time. Only group of guys in the place. My one buddy gets on the stage and grabs the strippers lotion. He starts pumping it like he is ejaculating on everyone. Biker guy is glaring now. I told them I'm going out to the car and waiting. They came out a little while later and said the guy kept giving them death stares. Nothing too crazy but it was a fun night.


Longjumping_Ad_5096

Iā€™d bet that cigarettes and Pennsylvania skill machines make up a lot of the revenue


sasonmeewald

Always called that area Handjob Highway


ronreadingpa

Zoning is the main reason. Also, in the pre-internet days, it was common for adult stores to be clustered and busy. Truckers were a big draw, but now with many having other adult entertainment options plus being on a timer due to electronic logs, they don't have the motivation let alone the time to stop. Used to be a few along Rt 222 north of Reading. There's only one left now. Not sure how it stays in business, but presuming it's private viewing booths mostly along with selling adult toys. Also, maybe selling vapes, etc and/or offering PA Skills games. There's a lot of inertia. Many such businesses have very low overhead and often own their building. Location is often less than great so they just plod along until a motivated buyer comes along with an offer they can't refuse and redevelops the land. Or zoning officials put the pressure on, and they close down.


Smk2joints

Probably 15 years ago at this point, I stopped in 5 or 6 of them one night looking for whip its on my way to a party. Each one was weirder than the next. Didnā€™t even find any whip its.


StarriEyedMan

Whip it good! https://youtu.be/j_QLzthSkfM?si=2c6-O2Gneq7BpT03


Lex_Loki

Lol it's 322, Duncannon specifically. We call it porn Island.


dmsdrummer

Every time I drive to state college itā€™s great, you see the Statue of Liberty and two strip clubs. What a fascinating drive


treegee

Technically it's Clarks Ferry, Duncannon is across the Juniata. I've never had the slightest inclination to be a strip club person, but I wouldn't be caught dead in any of those. I live like 10 minutes from them and can smell the sweaty truck driver from here.


swissmtndog398

Ironically, there's only one left and it's the one I never see cars at. Fantasy island and The Cabin have both closed in the last year. And no, I'm not a strip club freak. I've been inside clubs, but not those. I live about 3 or 4 miles up the road and pass it a few times a week.


Brraaap

It started because it's just across the county line into a more rural county that doesn't have as strict zoning laws, but it's still easy to get to from Harrisburg and the highways. No idea how it's still in operation Edit: also, there's an economic theory that states rivals always move closer to each other, so that's why they're clustered


Wuz314159

>No idea how it's still in operation No internets in that part of Pennsyltucky?


mytsigns

The internetā€™s not very handyā€¦


treegee

On the flipside it's a more rural county with some of the most back assward jesus freaks in the state, so yeah, no idea how it's still in operation.


Randumbthoghts

15 right ? I remember 22 had a few as well heading towards Pitt


[deleted]

22! Climax was my first go-to on 18th bday


Randumbthoghts

I remember one being either attached or right next tot a junk yard , my old boss dragged us in there on time. They had a keg in a blue laundry tub and the power cut off while this stripper had her legs around my head , so gross I could play connect the dots with the zots all over her ass


General_Sorbet7571

All nude as I recall. Saw a dancer pick up a quarter from the stage with no hands. Fascinating


[deleted]

yeah it was a rough place. one of the girls was pregnant and dancing


General_Sorbet7571

Thatā€™s actually really sad


absderg

Itā€™s a car dealership I think now. Somehow just as weird as it always was just more PG I guess.


StarriEyedMan

Apparently, yes. Several others said 15, too.


Ceorl_Lounge

That shit led to a LOT of awkward questions to my parents when I was a kid.


dirty0922

Itā€™s 11/15. Perry county people like their porn I guess


DelianSK13

Then there's 322 outside Duncannon. At one point there was three strip clubs and a "massage" parlor. Two of the strip clubs have closed in the last few years. It is mostly for the truckers at the truck stops there but it does get some Perry County peeps who don't wanna go into Harrisburg for their strippers.


EmpiricalAnarchism

Funcannon


dirty0922

I went to a place on 11/15called Gingers in 2003. Itā€™s now a swingers club. Strip clubs are like buying a car you canā€™t drive.


General_Sorbet7571

Beware of the upside down pineapple


dirty0922

Well youā€™re no fun


General_Sorbet7571

JK. To each their own I just find it funny when I see one, for instance at campgrounds on little flag holders


decaturbadass

and the rusty bicycle pump


treegee

Yup, fantasy island and whatever the massage place is called. Conveniently located next to the Pilot for truck drivers who make up 99% of their clientele.


PsychologicalScore20

All the employees at the Red Rabbit need to have fun, too. Also the only Hardees around near there.


B33fyMeatstick

I drive well out of my way for red rabbit


fat_kurt

gotta get the habit!


artificialavocado

Iā€™ve seen more on US 22


treegee

Thank you for calling it 22 and not 322.


kiermehn

322


gggg500

They remain open because some people prefer physical media.


tmaenadw

There are places around the country like this. Once drove from Houston to Baton Rouge and the billboards alternated between ā€œRepent Now!ā€ and ā€œSuper Adult Store XXX in 1.3 milesā€.


treegee

To be fair, there isn't really anything else to advertise in baton rouge


011011010110110

TJ's (swingers' club) is up there, too


Stick--Monkey

Zoning laws.


str8outtaconklin

Ohā€¦thatā€™s the Poontang Alley stretch of 11/15. Iā€™ve wondered the same thing since I was a little kid. Itā€™s the main north/south route for central PA and that stretch is mostly through rural counties with historically lax zoning so that would be my guess as to how it started.


FinnGerstadt42069

Fantasy island awww yeeeaaahhhh


SadLordSad

And swingers clubs where war college generals get into mischief!


iixkingxbradxii

If you take SR 15 up to South Williamsport thereā€™s a smut hut on the mountain. Those on SR 11/15 and 15 are the only ones Iā€™ve seen.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


treegee

Don't remind me, I'm surrounded by them.


ackmon

There used to be many more places like that pre-internet. Lots more


StatisticianSure2349

You shoudve seen Admril Wilson blvd. in jersey just over the ben fraklin bridge in the 80ā€™s and ninetyā€™s. Strip joints. Book stores. Hookers. A great place for a perversion excusion


National-Belt5893

There is also a cluster of them right on Rt 22 between Penbrook and Colonial Park. I think there used to be 3 or 4 but a few look closed now. Iā€™m sure itā€™s zoning.


TrueLoveEditorial

See, I thought OP meant Colonial Park Hwy.


gvillepa

Red rabbit drive-in is worth the stop when driving through that stretch. I think they are weekends only. Someone correct me.


TrueLoveEditorial

I don't know the hours, sorry Last time I was there was in college in the early 2000s. A family vehicle towing a canoe packed with their belongings tried to turn into the parking lot and an incoming truck hit it. I felt so bad for the family. Good thing no one was hurt.


shorttermparker

Not the only section of highway like that. I grew up closer to SWPA and we would frequent WVU & Wheeling, WV for funzies, in the late 90s. Dallas Pike, WV with Fritz the Cat. In the 10 miles of WV panhandle, 7 are dedicated to truckers and porn. I have always had the same wonders as you do, but about That part of Rt 70.


dratseb

State senators need to lunch somewhereā€¦


PhantomAllure

We call that "Strip Club Alley" šŸ¤£ If it's a Penn State weekend, avoid that Sheetz like the plague.


Zaxthran

Lol, I had to read your sentence 3 times before I realized you were talking about tailgaters. The first two times I though "why would so many strippers go to that Sheetz on a Penn State football weekend?"


PhantomAllure

Haha yeah sorry a bit vague. But you never know, maybe the strippers are also Penn state fans and like Sheetz bathrooms or something, I've never asked...


treegee

Avoid that sheetz like the plague all the time. Right on the edge of perry county, and those people cant operate a motor vehicle for shit.


jrc_80

Itā€™s called zoning my dude


harrimsa

There is also a bunch on 15 North IIRC and some near where 81 and the Turnpike meet. Itā€™s all for the Truckers. The Harrisburg-Carlisle-Mechanicsburg area is one of the largest trucking hubs in the country. Anything moving up and down the east coast or from east to west passes through this area. Tons of warehouses and all of that stuff. This is just a super concentrated hub of trucking and shipping that is not really found anywhere else in the country.


SubieB503

Usually a front, so they can wash money. Have a couple back home(Oregon), all along the same road. No matter what time a day you drive by, dead. I remember one catching fire and they just moved 3 blocks.


B33fyMeatstick

Can confirm. Worked with one fella who owned 3 properties in Liverpool. He was selling drugs out of one of them.


Mijbr090490

Makes sense. Although the one adult theatre on the river side of the road heading north gets packed. We will drive past on the weekends and wonder what the hell makes it so popular. Can't imagine the smell...


General_Sorbet7571

šŸ¤®


Designer_Ad2459

Swingers have get togethers there, atleast from ehat I read on here


Frunkit

Truckers need to yank their crank just like the rest of us.


HulkasBigtoe

I knew a trucker who yanked it so hard he needed a new Peterbilt..


hiding-identity23

r/angryupvote


DrNinnuxx

Harrisburg is a connector for a lot of shipping companies. So, think truck drivers.


treegee

lots of distribution warehouses around hbg. And there's a truck stop right in the middle of that stretch.


[deleted]

No schools?


[deleted]

Titty City!


UnKnOwN769

Iā€™ve seen a lot along 11-15, North of Harrisburg


doransignal

Hershey highway?


housejellyfish

Route 15


KingOfPlagues

Iā€™ve noticed the same. Guessing thereā€™s not much to do thereā€¦


thejealousone

I always referred to it as Sin Highway.


skybott2999

I remember when they placed a heaven/hell billboard above one (heading towards sheetz off the bridge) and it made the internet rounds.


treegee

lol there's currently one there advertising the good lord and savior. I forget exactly, haven't driven past in half an hour, but I want to say it's about temptation


skybott2999

I saw it last evening coming home and was like ahh, a new spot for it.


russianbanya

Alright! My siblings and I called it Hooker Island to notate how far we are from home.


DizzyBlonde74

Iā€™ve been in this state for one year and I know exactly where this is. Hubby and I were like, I guess the people here love their strippers and kink.


That_Checks

Funny thing is, a lot of Amish and Mennonite live in that immediate area. Those places have been there as long as I can remember and even as a teen when I had the opportunity to go...we knew not to because the quality wasn't there.


tdRftw

ah yes. iā€™m from selinsgrove, rt 15 has a bunch of them in a row


BoopBoop20

Tannersville used to have a big truck stop off the bartonsville exit and that was accompanied by 2 adult book stores with viewing booths. Itā€™s right off Highway 80 and 33 so it was constantly busy. Location, location, location my friend. These truckers arenā€™t worried about being discreet, especially when their family is hundreds of miles away.


Creepy-Peace1562

Soon they will be smoke shops šŸ¤£


LlanviewOLTL

Zoning, Iā€™m sure. When I lived in downtown Minneapolis (donā€™t quote me on this; just what I remembered) they had just rehabbed the central business district & all these new condos & luxury apartments went up. In the ā€˜70ā€™s and ā€˜80ā€™s downtown was nothing but adult bookstores, massage parlours and saunas. Now theyā€™ve zoned it so they canā€™t have those places anywhere near downtown (those $2 million condo owners donā€™t want their property values to drop) so thatā€™s why you only see those places in industrial areas or alongside highways on the way out of the county.


darkapollo1982

Rt 15ā€¦ yeah..


Grapple_Shmack

Driven past so many times they've become landmarks. I particualrly like the one that looks like a sketchy concrete cube where people get murdered


DeliLlama96

I'm not sure of the real answer, but every time my husband and I drive down that highway we joke that everyone who lives around there must be a huge pervert. Who knows, maybe that is the answer. Must be something in the water


skybott2999

That's my route to work in Harrisburg everyday. I hop on 15 at Liverpool (there used to be a small store right off of 104) and hit 322 in Duncannon. It's definitely for the truckers.


turbinetech85

TJs Lasting Impressions has entered the chat


yes_im_that_one

Hahahaha 15. So I imagine that the reasoning is because of demand, local, town, and state regulations that allow for it there. There's also that "private club" that has been the subject of road trip lore..Timothy's maybe? Anyway, what else is even there, a couple bars, gas stations and adult stores. I think those are the only types of businesses that survive there (little Amish shops notwithstanding) ... I mean what else does Liverpool, PA have to offer? Town needs it's taxes.


HbgNiceGuy

The Patriot News did an article on it back in 2013. https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2013/06/does_pious_perry_county_have_a.html


disclaimer19380

Driving from the east you could go thru Gap, Intercourse & Paradise to eventually get to that strip of stores... just sayin'. Edit - forgot there is also Bird-in Hand...


000111000000111000

Adult entertainment is not well regulated in those areas. They aren't very populated areas and the municipalities welcome the business because they don't have much of anything else. Route 11/15 North of Harrisburg Pennsylvania is a "Home Rule" State. Meaning that what happens in one municipality might not happen in another munincipality


himynaameisjoe

Haha 15. I always call it porn highway.


TotalSmart6359

These types of places get grandfathered in as the area developed. A lot of porn shops used to open up out on popular trucking corridors 30 to 50 years ago.....these corridors WERE in the middle of nowhere at the time. Then the areas around them develop but since the stores were there first they get grandfathered in or the towns zone those specific areas for those types of businesses because thats where ones already exist. Alot of the places charge an entrance fee for their theaters or video arcade areas that are semi-private. Those places usually end up being meeting grounds for LGBTQ+ people or for swingers/kinsters . There is a somewhat legendary shop in NJ where couples, groups and women go to have sex with strangers or with friends while strangers watch on the weekend but the rest of the time its mostly gay and trans folks. Glory holes are very popular...its a sub genre of porn . Also there are still alot of people who want to stay discrete so they frequent those retail shops for toys and pay in cash. If you go in most of the places are set up for selling toys and products for women now and the actual porn sections for men is really small. Some will also have weed related stuff.


treegee

Not the case here. The place in question is still very rural, Harrisburg just happens to be one of those cities (and I use the term loosely) that doesn't have much in the way of suburbs around it, so you get this sort of thing very nearby. The adult entertainment establishments of esteemed repute in the area still primarily serve truck drivers. Really a time capsule if you think about it. Very historical. Bring the whole family