Under the Radar: New Silk Strip Club Raises Alarm in the Broad River Community
- CUBNSC
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By Javar Juarez | CUBNSC | October 18, 2025
Residents of Columbia’s Broad River community were caught off guard when a new adult nightclub, Club Silk, appeared seemingly overnight at 2219 Broad River Road—the same property once home to the Black Pearl and Rose Gold clubs, both tied to violent and criminal activity in years past.
The opening comes as a shock to many who believed redevelopment and the ongoing Carolina Crossroads construction would usher in a safer, family-friendly environment. With little to no public awareness of a liquor license application or zoning review, residents say this business “slipped through unnoticed,” reigniting community fears and frustration with county leadership.
Silk Strip Club: Community Frustration and Unanswered Questions
The new Silk Strip club’s arrival has intensified pressure on Richland County Councilwoman Allison Terracio, whose district includes parts of the Broad River Road Corridor. Calls for action have gone unanswered as residents demand clarity on how such a business could reopen without apparent public notice or zoning review.
Community members have been asking for a protective zoning overlay for the Broad River District since 2019, a measure intended to prevent the return of adult-entertainment establishments and other high-risk businesses. But those protections have yet to materialize.
“I feel like the county has abandoned us,” said Emma Johnson,
a long-time resident of the Briargate Condos. “The construction finally gave us peace and quiet. Now it feels like we’re going back to the chaos we fought so hard to leave behind.”
Residents note that the ongoing Carolina Crossroads construction project has limited road access and visibility in the area, which may have made it easier for the club to reopen without community opposition.
A Troubled Address with a Violent Past
The address 2219 Broad River Road carries a well-documented history of violence and
controversy:
Dec. 20, 2017 — Double Homicide: Two brothers, Trevonne Judge (23) and Torance Peoples (26), were shot and killed following a dispute inside the Black Pearl nightclub.
2016–2017: Richland County Sheriff’s Department responded to more than 30 incidents at the property, including assaults and shootings.
Dec. 22–29, 2017: County officials declared the club a “public nuisance” and issued a stop-work order, closing it down for licensing and zoning violations.
July 4, 2021: A shooting occurred outside the venue, then operating as Rose Gold; a murder investigation followed.
Nov. 16, 2022: A fatal shooting took place in the Rose Gold parking lot. An arrest was announced weeks later in connection with the “execution-style” killing of Ricardo Tucker.
The property is currently listed under Southeastern Guardian Services LLC, with Steven W. Vinson as registered agent.
Lack of Transparency and Oversight
Publicly available county records show no recent zoning or planning commission filings for 2219 Broad River Road under the names “Silk,” “Club Silk,” or “Southeastern Guardian Services LLC.” Likewise, there are no recent liquor license notices published for that location, despite state law requiring such applications to appear in local newspapers for three consecutive weeks.
Residents argue that the lack of communication from Richland County Zoning and Planning and County Council has eroded public trust.
“This is supposed to be a district focused on redevelopment and opportunity,” one resident said. “Instead, we’re watching history repeat itself.”
A Community at a Crossroads
The Broad River Corridor has been identified in multiple county studies as a target for revitalization and economic growth. Yet, residents say that progress has stalled and that repeated failures in enforcement allow “problem businesses” to reappear.
Calls to Councilwoman Terracio’s office for comment went unanswered at the time of publication.
As construction continues along the Carolina Crossroads project, the question for residents remains: How did another adult club manage to open its doors—without notice, oversight, or community input—on one of the most troubled properties in the district?
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