Victor Lownes - A New Beginning

A New Beginning

He was fired from his job as his newly single status made him eligible for the draft. Lownes moved to Chicago where he lived for several months entertaining scores of young women. At a party in 1954 Lownes met Hugh Hefner, a man whose almost identical interests had led him to recently create Playboy magazine. Lownes was asked to write a couple of articles and in November 1955 he was offered a full-time job with the company as Promotions Director.

Lownes set about drumming up advertising for the pariah publication, most conservative companies wanting nothing to do with the magazine. He was quite successful in changing minds. Advertising for a club called Gaslight in Chicago, Lownes saw an opportunity to diversify the Playboy brand and suggested to Hefner that Playboy should open a club of its own. Hefner immediately saw the commercial and promotional benefits. Plans for a Playboy Club were begun in 1959. Victor Lownes' then girlfriend suggested to Hefner the idea of dressing the hostesses in the image of the tuxedoed Playboy Bunny character. Hefner took some persuading as he had always viewed the rabbit as a male character but once he saw a prototype of the outfit he changed his mind.

Under Lownes' management the first Playboy Club opened in downtown Chicago on 116 E Walton Street. It was essentially a bar with entertainment featuring Playboy Bunnies serving drinks and performances by some big names in entertainment. The doors opened for the first time on the leap year night of February 29, 1960 and it was an immediate success. More clubs followed in cities over the USA.