In a shocking turnaround, Showtime, Soi Cowboyโs ladyboy showbar, will not open as announced Friday and likely never will open.
The former Oasis/Stumble Inn Soi Cowboy site renovated to become a ladyboy cabaret aimed at mainstream tourists is being aggressively shopped by the Stumble Inn Group, which earlier this week bought back the 50% interest from its partner in the project.
Showtime Soi Cowboy stopped its โComing Soonโ social media campaign Monday and well-placed sources say they doubt it will ever be showtime at Showtime Soi Cowboy, at least under current ownership.
Shocking Turnaround
Just a week ago, it appeared to be all-systems-go, with the now cashed-out partner taking over building of the bar in time for a Sept. 26 opening. High-end sound and lighting systems had been installed and sofas delivered. Cabaret performers had been lined up and mediocre photos taken.
But, even as work progressed, pessimism about Showtime Soi Cowboyโs fortunes swelled. It was always going to be an uphill battle and, as the cost estimates came in, that realization became reality.
Key money and rent, initially lower than market value for The Oasis, and then discounted further during the coronavirus pandemic had been raised to an averaged 500,000 baht a month, about the same as many pricey Nana Plaza go-go bars.
Performer costs would be higher than Stumble Inn pub staffers. And Showtime Soi Cowboy was trying to squeeze a big cabaret show into a two-shophouse footprint, with a too-small stage and too-low ceiling for costume headdresses.
And then there was the very obvious question of who would fill the 90 seats twice an hour, especially with the groupโs lack of ties to Asian tour groups and the decline in Chinese tourists.
Rather than throw good money after bad, construction and marketing were halted and the Stumble Inn Group apparently threw in the towel. Prospective buyers in both Bangkok and Pattaya were contacted, with the sales pitch claiming they could โmake millionsโ. The people on the other end of the line politely declined.
Big Bet on Showtime Soi Cowboy
The Showtime Soi Cowboy site has been a revolving door of ideas in the past five years. The Oasis opened there in 2019 as a bold bet on making Soi Cowboy more family-friendly, built on low rent and cheap food and beer. That failed.
Early this year it was rebranded as Stumble Inn Soi Cowboy, a companion to the groupโs Nana Plaza pub, with bargirls brought in. But once the landlord pushed rent and key money to record levels, a high-concept reboot was seen as the only way forward with two of the four Oasis/Stumble partners bailing out.
Once Stumble Inn closed, the venue was reimagined with upgraded sound, lighting and a massive LED wall behind the small stage. Seating for approximately 90 guests included sofas and table arrangements, with a closed-off upper level now serving as backstage and dressing room space.
The format was to feature two 20-minute shows every hour, emphasizing costumes, choreography and production value more in line with cabarets like Pattayaโs Tiffany Show.
Owners openly admitted Showtime Soi Cowboy was aimed mainstream tourists, couples and Asian group travelers who might avoid Soi Cowboyโs seedier venues.
The goal is to offer a safe, visually impressive experience that balanced mainstream accessibility with the glamour and humor of ladyboy performance. The owners, who already operate other ladyboy bars on the strip, viewed it as a calculated move toward diversifying the nightlife audience while offering something different than in its Shadow and Cockatoo ladyboy go-gos.
High Risk for What Reward?
From the outset, there was an open question as to whether Soi Cowboy could support four ladyboy bars and the thought that Showtime Soi Cowboy would can cannibalize the Stumble Inn Groupโs other ladyboy bars.
Still, partners believed that ladyboy bars delivered higher margins than girlie bars, pointing to their own Shadow and Cockatoo on Soi Cowboy as proof. That belief, however, didnโt prove strong enough to double down on yet another bold bet.
