Speakeasy

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This article is about Prohibition-era liquor establishments. For other uses, see Speakeasy (disambiguation).

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A speakeasy was an establishment that was generally used for selling and drinking alcoholic beverages during the period of United States history known as Prohibition (1920-1933,^[1] longer in some states), when the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol was illegal. The term comes from a patron's manner of ordering alcohol without raising suspicion — a bartender would tell a patron to be quiet and "speak easy".

Speakeasies became more popular and numerous as the Prohibition years progressed, and also became more commonly operated by those connected to organized crime. Although police and United States Federal Government agents would raid such establishments and arrest the owners and patrons, the business of running speakeasies was so lucrative that such establishments continued to flourish throughout the nation. In major cities, speakeasies were often elaborate, offering food, live bands,floor shows, and strip joints. The police corruption at this time was notoriously rampant; speakeasy operators commonly bribed police to either leave them alone or at least give them advance notice of any planned raids.

In the United States, there are still 37 standing speakeasies from the 1920s.^{[citation needed]} There are 23 in New York, New York, 13 in Pennsylvania, and one single hush hush bar in the western portion of D.C. Another slang term for an establishment similar to a speakeasy is blind pig. The difference between a speakeasy and a blind pig is that a speakeasy was usually a higher class establishment, where a blind pig was a lower class dive.

[edit] Still existing speakeasies

One former speakeasy, Chumley's, still exists in New York City at 86 Bedford Street. It was owned by C. Collins and C. Arienti, and remains authentically decorated. There are no signs on the door to indicate that inside lies a bar and restaurant. There is even a secret back door leading out to a passageway on to Barrow Street so that customers could make a quick exit when the police called. It was the haunt of too many literary notables to list (Fitzgerald, Hemmingway, Kerouac to name a few--Scott & Zelda reportedly consummated their marriage in a booth here),^{[citation needed]} as well as of ghosts both ancient and modern (12 of its firemen patrons/employees died on 9/11).^{[citation needed]}

In April, 2007, Chumley's suffered a catastrophic chimney/interior wall collapse, and was closed until the 1831 building could be shored up. The intricate web of NYC real estate complications has resulted in a building still encrusted, like some deep-sea wreck, with scaffolding and nets. A scheduled Oct. 1, 2007 re-opening is a dim prospect. See: http://lostnewyorkcity.blogspot.com/2007/09/chumleys-opening-oct-1-doubtful.html

Another former speakeasy still exists in Petaluma, California. Volpi's Ristorante used to be a market with a speakeasy and bar in back. The door to the alley still exists above the bar, behind the Italian restaurant, and the bar is still in business and does not look much different than it probably did in Prohibition days. Rumors of underground tunnels that cross the downtown area are still told to this day. There was even a brothel that is now Old Chicago Pizza in this western town, and the rumors are that there were more, where these tunnels run to.

[edit] See also

• Shebeen
• Smokeasy
• Underground restaurant

[edit] References

1. ^ Allen, Irving L (1993). The City in Slang New York Life and Popular Speech. Oxford University Press US, Page 72. ISBN 0195092651. 

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