Speakeasies – Bringing People Together

By Suzanne Norquist

Last year, my daughter and her husband visited a restaurant, and the hostess asked if they would rather go to the speakeasy in the back. Yes! Of course, they chose the secret door. Quiet music played, and board games were available as they relaxed over dinner.

Modern speakeasies give a nod to the days of prohibition from 1920 to 1933, a time when the sale of most alcohol was illegal in the United States, and bars went “underground.” The secret industry created a subculture with special passwords and unusual locations.

Social conventions and divisions vanished in the dimly lit backrooms and basements. Women, who weren’t previously allowed in most bars, drank with the men. Writers and intellectuals found lively discussion. Audiences welcomed rising singers, actors, and entertainers. The relaxed atmosphere of these places encouraged people to share ideas. Many could be described as Bohemian and counter-cultural.

They kept lookouts for police and set up warning systems to hide evidence of alcohol in case of a raid. Some simply paid off law enforcement. Others changed locations regularly.

Over time, they provided a home base for organized crime as well. Venues that evaded police, naturally, drew all kinds of criminal activity.

A British naval memoir used the term “speakeasy” in 1844, referring to an unlicensed liquor store or bar. During prohibition, the term was probably intended to remind patrons to keep their voices down to avoid detection. However, some of the speakeasies boasted boisterous crowds.

One could find thousands of these clandestine locations in any large city. The history of many is lost, as they were illegal, and record keeping could be sloppy. Some served as restaurants before and after prohibition. Others popped up to meet a need.

Here are some interesting tidbits about famous speakeasies.

Chumley’s in Manhattan served as a haven for writers and authors. Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and John Steinbeck spent time there. It had two entrances—the main entrance at 86 Bedford Street, and a more discreet one down Barrow Street.

Some of the police were on Chumley’s payroll. Before a raid, they would call and say, “Eighty-six your customers.” Everyone would escape through the 86 Bedford Street door, and the police would come in through the Barrow Street entrance. Thus, a new term was born.

The Cotton Club in Harlem was known for top-notch entertainment like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Billie Holiday. Black entertainers served a whites-only crowd. Racism ruled the club’s themes, and even the name is a reference to cotton plantations.

Gallagher’s in the Manhattan Theater District attracted off-Broadway stars, showgirls, sports figures, and gamblers. Helen Gallagher, a former Ziegfield girl, and Jack Solomon, a gambler, opened it to create a gathering place for people with similar interests.

The Krazy Kat Klub in Washington, DC was only a few blocks from the Whitehouse on the second floor of an old stable turned garage. Customers had to navigate their way around old lumber and farm equipment to get to the staircase. The noisy space was dimly lit and filled with smoke.

The Dill Pickle Club in Chicago catered to those who wanted to share counter-cultural ideas. Its orange door said, “Danger. Step High, Stoop Low, and Leave your Dignity Outside.” Inside, another sign said, “This club is established to elevate the minds of people to a lower level.”

The Arizona Biltmore hotel hides a mystery room in the building’s interior. Rumors say that the skylight would allow lookouts on the outside to signal if the police were on their way. Little is known about the room. But again, no one kept records.

Tobacco Road opened as the first bar in Miami in 1912. During prohibition, it served as a speakeasy, catering to smugglers in the Caribbean.

Although prohibition didn’t last, speakeasies shaped our culture, bringing people together for entertainment and intellectual discussion. No wonder a few bygones from the era can be found in the back of modern restaurants. However, they are no longer in danger of a police raid—no need to “eighty-six” anything.

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Love In Bloom 4-in-one collection

by Mary Davis (Author), Kathleen E Kovach (Author), Suzanne Norquist (Author)

Holly & Ivy

At Christmastime, a young woman accompanies her impetuous younger sister on her trip across the country to be a mail-order bride and loses her heart to a gallant stranger.

Periwinkle in the Park

A female hiking guide, who is helping to commission a national park, runs into conflict with a mountain man is determined to keep the government off his land.

A Song for Rose

Can a disillusioned tenor convince an aspiring soprano that there is more to music than fame?

Beauty in a Tansy?

Two adjacent store owners are drawn to each other, but their older relatives provide obstacles to their ever becoming close.

Republished from Bouquet of Brides

Buy links: https://books2read.com/u/bOOx8K

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Bloom-Mary-Davis/dp/B0FPLFYCXR/

 

Suzanne Norquist is the author of two novellas. Everything fascinates her. She has worked as a chemist, professor, financial analyst, and even earned a doctorate in economics. Research feeds her curiosity, and she shares the adventure with her readers. She lives in New Mexico with her mining engineer husband and has two grown children. When not writing, she explores the mountains, hikes, and attends kickboxing class.