Previous teen dance clubs and hot spots, like Husky’s and Amnesia, have been shut down because of their lack of security and responsibility, but hip-hop Club 122 stays on top of the game.

DeKalb police Lt. Jim Kayes said Club 122 co-owner Paul Baggett has the experience, responsibility and coordination skills to make the club a success.

Other clubs that target a younger audience had problems with security and overcrowding that eventually led to their demise, he said. Baggett, on the other hand, has a “good working relationship with the cops and is in it for the long hall.”

Bouncers at Club 122 take safety very seriously and pat down every male entering the building.

Door bouncer Arnold Heard, a pre-clinical laboratory science major, said the club hasn’t had any weapon-related problems and the tight security helps ensure that.

People don’t seem to mind the extra security measures in exchange for the entertainment.

Come August, the club may serve alcohol.

Baggett said the minimum age limit would raise from 18 to 21 if the club sells alcohol, but this decision remains unsettled.

“Alcohol is a double-edged sword,” he said. “It can make a lot of money, but it can bring a lot of problems.”

Also, there’s the ever-present threat of fights. Three fights have occurred since the club’s opening, but were quickly broken up.

In strict fashion, any person involved in fighting or who causes trouble is posted on the club’s Web site at www.club122.com and permanently banned from Club 122.

“We want to prove we’re responsible operators,” Baggett said.

Baggett has worked at bars and thrown parties in DeKalb for more than seven years and has everything, including knowing how to have a good time, under control.

Baggett met follow co-owner Craig Dodgen while working at now-closed 18 and over dance club Amnesia.

“We’ve learned from other clubs what not to do,” he said.

Other 18-and-over dance clubs never tapped into the loyal fans of the hip-hop community, Baggett said.

One of hip-hop’s loyal fans, senior health education major Lester Harrison, said he prefers Club 122 over other clubs because of “the music, the girls and the good vibe.”

Hip-hop’s widespread popularity across the country has created a huge market for clubs like Club 122.

The major reason, however, for the club’s success seems to lie within the management skills of Baggett.

“He knows which way the wind blows,” Kayes said.