Eclipsing the past: Hope Church seeks to carve a new history for former strip club site

The storied history of 805 Frontage Road in Greenville was the last thing on Pastor Rich Butler's mind when choosing the location to be the next Greenville hub of Spartanburg-based, non-denominational Hope Church.

"Buildings are amoral, just like dollar bills," Butler said.

The property's visibility from Interstate 385 near Roper Mountain Road and its good bones are what initially attracted Butler to the location.

"It's like the building itself is a billboard," he said. "We weren't attracted because it was scandalous."

The property has effectively acted as a strip club under different names — Platinum Plus followed by Bucks Racks and Ribs — for the past two decades before permanently closing this summer. Both clubs were subject to lengthy legal battles with Greenville County for alleged violations of the county's laws governing sexually oriented businesses, among other legal troubles.

The story of one property in Greenville:Night club, strip club, gentleman's club, church

But Butler believes Hope Church can "eclipse the building's past" and become a place where Greenville residents can hold fond memories of connecting with God, overcoming vices and more.

"It’s a God opportunity," he said.

The search for a permanent Greenville location had been underway for more than a year before Hope Church found 805 Frontage Road. Butler said there had been many leads before, but nothing substantial.

The Frontage Road property is currently under contract, and Butler said he believes the deal will close by the end of November.

Then, renovations will begin.

Butler said the current building won't need to be torn down but retrofitted to the church's needs. He is hoping to host a grand opening around this time next year, but those plans are subject to change.

Hope Church currently holds its Greenville services on Haywood Road at Greenville First Assembly of God, and the church has its own campuses in Simpsonville and Spartanburg.

As the church expands, Butler's goal remains clear.

"We want to broker hope," he said.

− Tim Carlin covers county government, growth and development for The Greenville News. Follow him on Twitter @timcarlin_, and get in touch with him at TCarlin@gannett.com. You can support his work by subscribing to The Greenville News at greenvillenews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Greenville strip club property to be reformed with Hope Church