The fourth Soi Cowboy ladyboy bar will open in the spot of the former Stumble Inn and the Oasis pubs as Showtime, a cabaret-style showbar for tourists.
The name, along with banal, AI-generated logo and intro, was unveiled online Tuesday, finally confirming the name and format of the project that replace the large, attractive pubs that operated on Cowboy since 2019.
Stumble Inn Group Behind New Soi Cowboy Ladyboy Bar
The Stumble Inn Group, which still operates its namesake pub, Big Dogs and the Nana Beer Garden in Nana Plaza, is behind the latest Soi Cowboy ladyboy bar, along with the Cockatoo and Shadow bars featuring transgender women. At the other end of the soi is Majestics, a newer entry with a transgender owner and a far superior lineup of attractive ladyboys.
Speculation has been rife since Stumble Inn Soi Cowboy closed early this summer about what it would become. Noting the large space and the fact it would be the fourth Soi Cowboy ladyboy bar, Neon Alley watchers assumed Stumble Inn Group wouldn’t want to cannibalize its existing businesses and further diminish an already slim talent pool.
Those working on the nightlife strip, however, have insisted that Stumble Inn indeed would become another Soi Cowboy ladyboy bar. Bargirls generally are terrible sources of accurate information but, in this case, they turned out to be right.
Showtime a Soi Cowboy Ladyboy Bar with a Difference
Rather than operate its new Soi Cowboy ladyboy bar as a larger version of its existing ladyboy go-go bars, the Stumble Inn Group is trying something different, copying the model of Rainbow 1 in Nana Plaza by making Showtime a ladyboy cabaret-style showbar.
The new Soi Cowboy ladyboy bar reportedly will feature two shows a night, squarely aimed at tourists who perhaps have heard of or seen the globally traveled Ladyboys of Bangkok show or Pattaya’s Tiffany Show. It will be couple-friendly with an eye toward Asian customers, but will have almost no interest for locals.
Rainbow 1, which debuted in Nana Plaza in February, similarly is aimed at Asian tourists – predominantly Chinese – with no effort to do any marketing in Thailand. There are no barfines and showtimes are set throughout the evening, with elaborate costumes and professional dancers including ladyboys, natural-born women and even men.
Rainbow 1, however, is owned by a Chinese national with deep ties to both influencers and tour operators in his home country. It’s unclear how British-owned Stumble Inn can reach the same Asian audiences. Perhaps the bet is walk-by trade will be enough.
Oasis Was a Bold Bet
When The Oasis opened in 2019 it was a lauded as a bold move to create a “real” bar on Soi Cowboy that would draw everyone from sports fans to couples to single women to people afraid or uninterested in go-go bars.
The bar was beautifully done out with decent food and reasonable drink prices, big screens, live music and no pesky bargirls. Covid dealt The Oasis (and everyone else) a body blow, but most believed it was successful.
Stumble’s boss, however, said it didn’t work.
“You only have so many years on your lease and at some point you have to start making profits,” he said.
So, in December 2023, Stumble Inn Group rebranded The Oasis as Stumble Inn Group and brought in pesky bargirls. That experiment lasted about 18 months.
Look for Showtime to open as the latest Soi Cowboy ladyboy bar before high season.
