Old Kingdom has new purpose in Pahrump
The old Kingdom Gentlemen’s Club is finding a new purpose. Dr. Peter J.Shield will give new life to a familiar old landmark in Pahrump, the old castle building.
This building once housed Joe Richards’ old strip club, on the corner of Highway 160 and Homestead Road.
The new business will now house a new type of kingdom called the “Dr. Peter J. Shield’s Magic Kingdom.”
Richards’ Kingdom was sold to a Salt Lake City company in September 2014.
“Their original intention was to knock it down but I got in the way and suggested that I do something here,” Shield said. “They don’t see an immediate market for construction or any additional retail space in town; they agreed to let me take it over and do what I want to do.”
Shield is the new king of the “Kingdom” and is a retired international archaeologist, who was described by the Smithsonian Institute’s Atomic Testing Museum as “a real Indiana Jones.”
“No, I never had to fire pistols and no, I didn’t ever run into any booby-trapped sites,” Shield said. “But I did go on some pretty big digs in Malta and China.”
He spent five years digging in the catacombs in Malta for Cambridge University.
“Malta is the most affluent archaeology site in the world,” he said. “It has the oldest known standing building in the world, ‘the Temple of the Giants.’ And it is a fascinating place to visit. It has a lot of history to it.”
Shield also wrote a novel on the Shroud of Turin and was actually on the investigative team that examined the authenticity of the shroud.
Shield holds a doctorate in archaeology and had retail space at a mall in Las Vegas.
“We had an antique mall in town at the Boulevard Mall and closed it down and moved everything here,” he said. “We moved out here because the building was so suitable to what we wanted to do. It lent itself so well to what I wanted to do.”
Shield said he wants to open his new business in mid-October.
What Else Is Planned
The new location will be more than just an antique mall, according to Shield.
“Although the core of this is an antique mall, I would prefer to call it an entertainment center or community center because we will have space for entertainment, space for local artists to lease and a place for fundraisers.”
The castle will house a variety of attractions to include “The Hall of Antiquities,” Dr. Shield’s antique and collectibles mall, previously located at the Boulevard Mall in Las Vegas.
“Space will be available on a first come - first served basis to a limited number of local antique collectors to lease,” Shield said. “We will be bringing four of our Las Vegas dealers with us and that will leave seven spaces to fill.”
The mall will also showcase the “Studio Royal,” Shield International’s Glass Blowing Academy and Art Center”, home of master glassblower Robert Shield, Dr. Shield’s son. His son will be selling his art and also teaching the art of glassblowing.
He said Studio Royal attracts students from around the world for hands-on instruction. The facility will have space for three additional artists in residence and local artists and craftsmen will be featured, along with an art gallery.
Interested craft persons should contact Dr. Shield immediately. In addition to glassblowing, there will be rental space for additional artisans to join Robert Shield.
The mall will also have a wedding chapel called “The Temple of Ra,” an Egyptian-themed facility suitable for weddings, etc., and containing Shield’s Egyptian collection.
The mall will also be home to “Amazing Clowns,” offering unique children’s parties, rides and inflatable castles.
Shield will put the old stages to use for live shows and weekly entertainment, which will include “Big Elvis” direct from Las Vegas’ Harrah’s Casino, and from Australia, “Count the Cash,” an exciting fundraising game show.
“I will also conduct a penny auction in which we will select a charity to donate the proceeds to,” he said. “We have yet to select a charity for that. We will talk to the local charities.”
Shield said he has been out in Las Vegas for the past 25 years and loves living out in the desert.
“I came to Las Vegas in 1991 to retire,” he said. “I am from the Channel Islands. I was raised and educated in England and lived in Canada and served with the Royal Air Force. I taught photography at Cambridge, and then lived 35 years in Australia.”
For more information, please call Shield at 702-409-2639.
Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com
